Burbank, CA, hospital lays off 95 workers, closes four programs

Burbank, CA-based Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center announced it had laid off 95 of its 2,517 employees and closed four hospital programs as a result of rising costs at a time of economic turmoil. Providence spokeswoman Patricia Aidem said the cutbacks marked the end for units offering urgent care, foot care for diabetics and treatment for workplace injuries, as well as a transitional-care unit which prepares patients for care elsewhere. Multiple urgent-care centers are within a few miles of the hospital, which helped officials decide what units to close, Aidem said.