Minneapolis-St. Paul health groups cut 613 jobs

Minnesota-based Park Nicollet Health Services and North Memorial Health Care have announced they will cut more than 600 jobs, citing falling business and rising bad debt as more patients lose their health benefits in the bad economy. By the end of the week, St. Louis Park-based Park Nicollet will cut 233 employees, or almost 3% of its workforce, while North Memorial Health Care in Robbinsdale is eliminating 380 jobs, or 7% of its employees. The announcements came two months after market leaders Allina Hospitals and Clinics and Fairview Health Services announced hundreds of layoffs.