Philadelphia-based Hahnemann University Hospital plans to lay off 175 nurses, support staff and managers as it struggles to keep its doors open, hospital officials told philly.com.
"We are in a life-or-death situation here at Hahnemann," said Joel Freedman, chairman and founder of American Academic Health System, which bought Hahnemann and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare in January 2018.
"We're not Tenet with endless cash. We're running out of money," Mr. Freedman added.
He told philly.com Hahnemann won't stay afloat without help from government, insurers and its academic partner, Philadelphia-based Drexel University.
The layoffs, which represent about 6 percent of Hahnemann's total workforce of 2,700, reportedly affect 65 nurses, 22 service and technical employees, and 88 nonunion workers and managers.
They come as Hahnemann has struggled financially. The hospital and and St. Christopher's combined have $600 million to $700 million in annual revenue, compared to $790 million at the time of American Academic Health System's purchase, according to philly.com.
Mr. Freedman, who is also CEO of El Segundo, Calif.-based Paladin Healthcare, partially attributed the struggles at Hahnemann to a lower volume of patients. He also cited information technology and documentation problems at the hospital.
He expects the layoffs, along with other cost-cutting initiatives, such as the closure of some primary care offices, to save Hahnemann $18 million annually.
Read the full philly.com report here.