Fairview Health Services eliminates 250 positions

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Fairview Health Services, one of Minnesota's largest healthcare providers, announced Thursday it is eliminating 250 positions. 

In a statement provided to FOX 9, Fairview Health Services said the cuts would impact primarily part-time positions across the organization. 

"Fairview continues to take thoughtful, deliberate steps to strengthen our organization and ensure that we can operate sustainably in a health care environment that is facing tremendous pressures. An important and necessary part of this work is aligning our workforce to evolving strategic priorities, all while addressing the demands of inflation, including increasing labor costs, and payer reimbursements that don’t keep pace with inflation. As we evaluate operations, prioritize our patients and support the team members who care for them, we must evolve as a team. Today’s announcement of changes across our organization is a difficult but necessary step in building a strong and sustainable future for Fairview."

One current Fairview employee who did not want to be identified says some of the layoffs will impact security staff at Fairview hospitals and worries about the immediate and long-term impact of the cuts. 

"These layoffs affect our ability to monitor what is going on in the hospitals, to help patients, to direct them," they said. "By removing these security positions, our ability to do our daily functions is going to decrease."

It's shaping up to be a tough year for local health systems. This summer, Allina Health laid off 350 employees, blaming the cuts on "unprecedented financial challenges."