Renton, Wash.-based Providence has shared plans to reduce 296 roles across Renton-based Providence Swedish and 150 across Providence Oregon.
At Providence Swedish, the 3.8% workforce reduction will affect the system’s Seattle-based Swedish First Hill Campus, Seattle-based Cherry Hill Swedish, the Swedish Issaquah (Wash.) Campus, the Seattle-based Swedish Ballard Campus and the Swedish Medical Group, according to a Nov. 18 news release.
The cuts include non-represented caregivers, union roles, and open roles that will stay unfilled. Other cuts include the closure of its Seattle-based Credena Health Pharmacy on Nov. 24 and the closure of the Issaquah-based Swedish Weight Loss Outpatient Clinic on Dec. 12.
“These are tough and complex — but necessary — decisions to address the significant economic pressures facing health care today,” Elizabeth Wako, MD, president and CEO of Swedish Health Services, said in the release. “While layoffs are never our first choice, they are needed to sustain this organization.”
The release also pointed to industry headwinds such as state and federal Medicaid cuts, state and city business and occupation taxes, increased state legislative policy costs, declining procedural volumes, commercial insurer denials, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for its reductions.
At Providence Oregon, CEO Jennifer Burrows, RN, said in a Nov. 18 update that the 150 position eliminations impact its acute care ministries, Providence Medical Group and Providence Health Plan, with the majority of roles being nonclinical.
“These reductions reflect our need to stay focused on financial stability and workforce challenges, intensified by recent policy changes and regulatory pressures,” Ms. Burrows said. “While we are seeing progress, our efforts will continue until we balance revenue and expenses. These changes are part of ongoing restructuring across all health systems.”
Both Providence Swedish and Providence Oregon are working with affected employees to help them transition into other roles.
The layoffs come after Providence shared plans to close four Portland, Ore.-based occupational medicine and workplace health service clinics on Nov. 7, which affected 43 employees. In early August, the health system shared plans to eliminate 128 jobs across its Oregon ministries. It also implemented a restructuring plan in June that affected 600 full-time-equivalent positions across seven states.
