HEALDSBURG -- The North Sonoma County Healthcare District, which oversees operations at Healdsburg District Hospital, today said it would lay off 30 employees, representing a workforce reduction of 8 percent of the hospital's 360 employees.
Nancy Schmid, chief executive officer of the 43-bed facility, said the hospital is revising its operational and care models in response to patient needs and "a rapidly changing federal health care reform."
“These changes are being made to ensure the long-term strength of our hospital and our ability to serve this community," Ms. Schmid said in a statement. "Quality care for our patients remains our highest priority.”
The employees affected work in various departments and are a combination of direct-care and support staff. The changes will not affect quality of care, the hospital said, adding that it's hopeful it won't have to endure another round of layoffs. "However, we will continue to re-evaluate in the coming months," Ms. Schmid said.
“Hospital leadership teams reviewed and continue to evaluate costs and services to ensure alignment with the needs of the communities it serves. These teams compared the hospital’s workforce to that of other hospitals in the area," the statement continued. " That effort produced awareness that our workforce structure needed to be adjusted if we were to maintain a financially sound, full-service hospital with the resources required to invest in future technologies, our staff, and the emerging services that will best serve our community in the face of the federal health care reform and local changes in the health care industry."
One big change in the local health care landscape is the forthcoming $284 million Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa, opening in northern Santa Rosa in 2014. Healdsburg District officials filed suit nearly three years ago to block development of the new hospital, citing environmental concerns and the potential impact on nearby hospital districts, including Healdsburg.
Mr. Schmid said planning will reduce the impact of the layoffs.
“Attrition, reassignment and a decrease in the number of per diem positions have allowed the hospital to reduce the number of individuals impacted by the restructuring," Ms. Schmid said. "During the past few months, the hospital has been able to slow down hiring and actually hold off on hiring new employees. Layoffs were our last resort, but they were unfortunately necessary in setting up the organization for future success.”
