Kurt Janavitz, CEO of Integrated Health Network of Wisconsin, is providing further insight into what led the Brookfield-based accountable care organization to lay off 21 employees. He said IHN members believe that its IT systems and other efforts would duplicate what they are doing in their own organizations, reports Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
IHN announced the layoffs earlier this month. The job cuts, which affect 40 percent of employees, are the result of recent strategic planning sessions with the ACO's board of managers. IHN now has 29 employees remaining at its Brookfield office.
Mr. Janavitz said various changes have occurred in the market since IHN was founded in 2010, according to the article. Last March, for instance, Ascension Wisconsin, part of St. Louis-based Ascension Health, acquired Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare's Southeast Wisconsin operations and related corporate offices. Additionally, Milwaukee-based Ministry Health Care, the parent of Affinity Health, became part of Ascension Health in 2013 while Milwaukee-based Columbia St. Mary's has long been part of Ascension Health, according to the report.
Now, Ascension Wisconsin continues to integrate corporate and operating structures of four health systems following its acquisition of Glendale, Wis.-based Wheaton Franciscan. And, as part of Ascension Health, it has the resources to develop its own IT systems and other initiatives, according to the report.
Mr. Janavitz expects many of IHN's employees to find jobs with organizations that belong to the network, the report states.