Updated at 10:25 am June 25, 2015 with details of St. Louis area job cuts and comment from Mercy Health President and CEO
Mercy Health says it has eliminated 126 positions in the St. Louis area.
The reductions are part of a previous announcement to cut nearly 350 jobs system-wide.
The Chesterfield-based health care provider has operations in several states including Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
In a statement, the company says a leadership restructuring is also underway, involving job and title changes for approximately 185 workers.
The reductions support the system's "ability to stay strong and relevant," said President and Chief Executive Officer Lynn Britton.
Our previous story from June 18, 2015
Chesterfield-based Mercy Health says it is planning to lay off between 300 and 350 workers, starting next week.
The health-care system says the reductions will take place at Mercy facilities in four states, including Missouri, but officials did not specify the exact locations. The majority of the positions that are eliminated will be "leadership roles." Mercy has 40,000 total employees. About 2,500 are in leadership positions.
The company says issues related to the Affordable Care Act and the lack of Medicaid expansion in Missouri —and other states — are some of the key reasons for the layoffs.
"Over the past decade, while we have made good progress in adapting to a constantly shifting health care landscape, the challenges we face require us to move faster than ever in keeping pace with change and meeting the evolving needs of our communities," reads a statement released Thursday by the system.
"In light of all of these factors, Mercy is in the process of simplifying our organizational structure and realigning our workforce in order to gain efficiencies and reduce costs," the statement reads.
Mercy says the affected workers will be notified next week.
