Mercy Hospital in Springfield has notified the state that it’s furloughing almost 700 employees.
Mercy made the announcement Friday in a letter to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure and Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon.
116 of those jobs will be permanently eliminated.
Another 660 workers at Mercy in St.Louis are also affected.
186 of those jobs will be permanently cut.
The cutbacks began on Friday and will run through August 20.
The cuts affect everyone from entry level positions to management.
Mercy blames the changes on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mercy issued this statement:
As a ministry spanning nearly 200 years, Mercy continues to take strategic steps to manage the serious economic toll of the COVID-19 crisis that has impacted every health care system across the country.
This includes a careful assessment of each community’s needs, restructuring to provide more efficient service, and implementing furloughs and job reductions as necessary throughout our ministry.
We are also creating new ways to deliver care to our patients so health care needs are met both in and out of quarantine.
This includes virtual visits with Mercy physicians, separate care tracks to treat COVID-19 patients, and enhanced safety protocols in all our facilities.
These actions will ensure Mercy will continue to provide compassionate, excellent clinical care to millions of patients across several states in the years to come.
