Lowell (Mass.) General Hospital confirmed it eliminated seven transcriptionist positions in its health information management department, including six layoffs.
The hospital attributed the job cuts to a technology upgrade and efforts to improve efficiency. LGH is implementing Nuance's Dragon voice recognition software.
"Lowell General Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality care at the best value to our patients," the hospital said in a statement to Becker's Hospital Review. "Like thousands of other healthcare organizations across the country, we recently upgraded our health information management systems with modern voice recognition software, a move that led to the elimination of several transcriptionist positions. While this was a difficult decision and we recognize the impact on those specific employees, it was a necessary change to ensure that we are best aligning our people where our needs are the greatest."
Six of the job cuts were layoffs, while the remaining position cut was a voluntary retirement. LGH spokesperson Will Courtney said affected employees may apply for other positions at the hospital, and the move was not part of any broad workforce reduction.
LGH posted a $4.1 million operating profit in fiscal year 2017, the second lowest since it merged with Saints Medical Center in Lowell in 2012, according to the Lowell Sun. The hospital did not specify to the publication how much money it projects to save through the job cuts.
LGH currently has about 3,600 employees.
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