Hospital eliminating 4 full-time positions

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health, the parent organization of Medina Memorial Hospital, is eliminating four full-time positions from nursing, care management and registration.

The job cuts represent about 1 percent of the overall staff of 422 workers. The layoffs are effective Feb. 14, said Wendy Jacobson, CEO and president of Orleans Community Health.

“OCH expects to minimize the actual number of reductions by offering impacted associates the opportunity to apply for other vacant positions within the health system,” she said today.

Medina Memorial, like many other hospitals, saw a decrease in patient volume in 2015, Jacobson said.

“The reductions and reassignments also come at a time when area health providers are facing increasing pressure to find operational efficiencies amid continued state and federal cutbacks in healthcare reimbursement and an overall weak economy,” she said in a statement.

Medina Memorial in April was designated as a “Critical Access Hospital” by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“Operational efficiencies are imperative for designated Critical Access Hospitals and those efficiencies are closely monitored by State and Federal regulatory bodies,” Jacobson said.

The Critical Access designation should bolster the hospital’s chances for grants. Jacobson said she is awaiting notification on one grant that would be great news for Medina Memorial.