Hospital Mass Layoffs Increased in January

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 13 mass layoffs at hospitals in January, following five months where mass layoffs in the industry had decreased or remained flat, according to a report in American Medical News.

A mass layoff is defined by the BLS as involving at least 50 people losing a job. According to the report, the 13 hospital layoffs resulted in 995 people filing for unemployment.

State budget and Medicare cuts as well as an increased demand for charity care could lead to more financial struggles for hospitals in the current environment, according to the report. Several hospitals have reported mass layoffs for February, including St. Vincent's Medical Center in New York, Jackson Health System in Miami and Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis.

Mass layoffs at ambulatory healthcare centers, which include physicians' offices, however, decreased in January, according to the report. The report also noted that layoffs that include 50 or more people are less likely in this setting.

BLS reported a total of 152 mass layoffs for hospitals in 2009.

Read the AMedNews report about hospital mass layoffs.