Memorial Health System has laid off fewer than 90 people, or less than 2 percent of its workforce, according to Mississippi Today.
The Gulfport, Miss.-based health system, in a May 2 news release shared with Becker's, said most of the affected positions are nonclinical or management roles, and the majority do not involve direct patient care.
Memorial attributed the decision to challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as higher labor and supply costs coupled with inflationary pressures.
The health system also said the layoffs are a result of its effort to prioritize improving revenue cycle processes, purchasing, patient access and throughput, supply chain, benefits, and workforce management.
"These difficult steps will help ensure the long-term sustainability of our health system so we can continue to offer the same services to our community. We are committed to providing high-quality care close to home," Kent Nicaud, CEO of Memorial, said in the organization's release.
Memorial said affected employees will have the option to work with Memorial's human resources to apply for existing positions within the organization, and the health system will offer career placement services. No additional layoffs are expected.
Memorial, which includes two hospital facilities and various other care locations, has 5,000 employees total, according to its website.