Athens (Ala.)-Limestone Hospital has eliminated 15 positions, according to a report from The News Courier.
Here are three things to know about the layoffs.
1. Hospital President David Pryor attributed the layoffs to a number of challenges facing the hospital. For instance, officials were not expecting the Limestone County Commission to vote in September to end a $1 million per year allocation to the facility, he said, according to the report. "But that's just part of the issues we face," Mr. Pryor added. "ALH is committed to serving our patients with quality care and service. We will do whatever it takes, including making hard decisions, to remain a valuable healthcare resource for our community."
2. Positions eliminated included management, clerical positions, receptionists and ancillary support jobs. Mr. Pryor told The News Courier some of the employees affected by the reduction will likely fill other open positions at the hospital, while some would be phased out through attrition.
3. While the hospital has eliminated positions, plans for a $35 million surgery center are believed to be back on track, according to the report. Mr. Pryor told The News Courier expense reduction is only part of ALH's improvement plan because the hospital must also have revenue growth. "Having the surgery center will help us on the revenue growth side, so we'll move forward on that," he said.