WCBC

October 1st, 2012 by WCBC Radio

In an effort to attain fiscal stability in this challenging economic time for the health care industry, the Western Maryland Health System will be letting 22 employees go. In a press release issued late Monday afternoon, the indicationwas that the move is being made to “protect its long-term financial viability,  necessary changes will result in sustainable reductions to both its labor and non-labor expenses.  This week, WMHS is implementing process changes in many departments, except for direct nursing care areas, that will result in sustained annual savings of $5.9 million in salaries and benefits for WMHS.  As part of these process changes, about 95 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions will be eliminated throughout WMHS, including 54 full and part-time positions that are already vacant.   In anticipation of these process changes, WMHS has tried to minimize the direct impact on employees by keeping vacant positions open over the past several months.  The 54 vacant positions eliminated equates to about 40 FTEs.  Another 35 positions throughout the Health System will have some reduction in scheduled hours, equating to about 13 FTEs.   There will be 44 employees who will be displaced from their current positions.  Approximately half of these individuals will have other opportunities within WMHS, and severance benefits will be extended to the estimated 22 employees who will be separated from the organization.