Grand Forks, N.D.-based Altru Health System has laid off 167 employees, about 6.5 percent of its workforce, according to the Grand Forks Herald.
The health system is laying off employees due to financial challenges tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Altru paused construction on a new hospital, rolled back staffing hours and cut executive pay by 30 percent before resorting to layoffs, according to the report.
"As we face substantial financial challenges, we must continue to make changes in the best interests of those we serve," Altru Health President Steven Weiser, MD, wrote in the internal memo obtained by the Grand Forks Herald. "We cannot operate as we have and sustain our organization."
In addition to the layoffs, the internal memo said the health system would be consolidating and realigning about 14 percent of leadership positions, according to the report.
Access the full Grand Forks Herald article here.
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