Cleveland's MetroHealth to lay off 450, slash $30M from budget

MetroHealth System plans to cut 450 jobs over the next two months as the county-owned hospital attempts to slash $30 million from its budget and stem 2011 losses. MetroHealth Chief Mark Moran confirmed late Monday that he had met with top-level managers and begun talking about the layoff targets. "I can't tell you who is going to be cut," Moran said. "It's the leaders of the units who are going to have to look at their operations and make decisions." The cuts would come from throughout the MetroHealth System, which includes the hospital as well as nursing home care and outpatient clinics. Hospital insiders say many of the layoffs will come from areas where patients are served. In addition, some administrative and supervisor jobs will be affected. And the smallest number will be from eliminating the relatively lower-paid support service workers, such as laundry and housekeepers. About 150 of the 450 positions are expected to come from not replacing employees who have left, Moran said.