Highland Hospital in Charleston, W. Va., a subsidiary of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Meridian Behavioral Health Systems, laid off 31 employees on Sept. 14.
Hospital officials confirmed the layoffs in a news release but did not indicate which positions were affected.
They said Highland will focus on inpatient care and supporting outpatient providers that refer patients to the behavioral health facility.
"For Highland to provide high-quality inpatient behavioral health services, we must retool to meet the demands of the current marketplace," said Cynthia Persily, CEO of Highland. "For Highland, demands require focusing on inpatient services."
Highland said the layoffs came after it evaluated staffing needs and found greater efficiency with the EMR system and fewer paperwork requirements from managed care companies.
Still, Highland continues to expand in West Virginia. The Highlands at Sugar Grove, its 28-day substance-abuse recovery program at the former U.S. Navy base in Pendleton County, is expected to be ready by early November.
Hospital officials said employees affected by the layoffs at Highland may be able to apply for other open positions at the facility.
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