Eau Claire, Wis.-based Sacred Heart Hospital and Chippewa Falls, Wis.-based St. Joseph's Hospital will lay off an unspecified number of employees, according to a Leader-Telegram report.
Both hospitals are part of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System.
Details of the layoffs are unclear. Staff received notification of the layoffs April 24, according to the report. However, a statement from the hospital to Becker's Hospital Review did not specify the number of employees or positions affected.
The hospitals attributed the layoffs to the changing healthcare environment, as well as efficiency efforts.
"The healthcare industry continues to experience a shift in the way people utilize healthcare services nationwide," the hospitals' statement reads. "High-deductible insurance plans are causing many people to postpone care. Improvements in technology are allowing many procedures to be done in outpatient facilities rather than inpatient settings within hospitals."
The hospitals added: "In order to remain successful in meeting the changing needs of the communities we serve, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital implemented a workforce shift to operate more efficiently. As a result, we are realigning leadership in both hospitals. We are working to make sure we dedicate the right resources to best meet the needs of our patients."
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