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New layoffs and eliminated positions at Tower Health have targeted management-level roles and other employees at the four-hospital health system in Pennsylvania.
The staff reductions will affect about 50 positions, officials said, less than 1% of its entire workforce.
The cuts include vacant positions that will not be filled across all its locations — Phoenixville, Pottstown, Reading and St. Christopher’s hospitals and outpatient oncology care, behavioral health, imaging, home health and urgent care offices.
Tower Health leaders said the system’s financial position “has strengthened” after several years of significant losses, but the layoffs come as they aim to streamline “organizational structures” throughout the nonprofit in order to “enhance operations.”
“These changes will not impact the high-quality care we deliver and are designed to build a more resilient organization well positioned for the future,” officials said in a statement to WHYY. “We understand the impact of these changes and do not take them lightly.”
Affected employees will be offered support with job placement assistance and transitioning benefits, according to Tower Health.
Meanwhile, health system leaders are still in contract negotiations with unionized nurses at Pottstown Hospital, whose contract expired last November.
Leaders at Pottstown Nurses United, which represents about 300 health care workers, said they need more staff at the hospital, not less, and are asking for improved policies to enforce safe staffing levels, as well as higher wages.
The union plans to hold an informational picket outside the facility Wednesday.
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