CHE Trinity Health lays off 45 IT employees

Livonia, Mich.-based CHE Trinity Health today announced it has laid off 45 employees in its information technology department as part of an effort to trim costs and improve efficiencies by $300 million over three years as part of the merger earlier this year that created the system.

Thirty-two of the 45 IT employees work in Michigan—17 in Livonia, four in Novi and 11 at several of Trinity's 10 Michigan hospitals—said Carol Tingwall, Trinity's director of communications. The other laid-off employees were located at Trinity offices in other states.

The 45 employees represent 2.4% of Trinity's 1,912 IT workers, Tingwall said. Since August, 35 additional non-patient care employees in various departments have left as part of workforce efficiency reviews, she said.

In May, Trinity merged with Newton Square, Pa..-based Catholic Health East, which created one of the nation's largest health systems with 70 hospitals with operating revenue of more than $13.3 billion and assets of about $19.3 billion.

Since the merger, Tingwall said Trinity has implemented a hiring freeze with essential job replacement reviews and reduced office staff mostly through attrition. Laid-off employees have been offered outplacement and career development services, she said.

Trinity joins a growing list of hospitals and health systems this year that have announced layoffs or hiring freezes, primarily because of federal budget cuts and an effort to reduce costs.

Last week, 23 employees were laid off at Rochester's Crittenton Hospital Medical Center.

Earlier this year, Detroit Medical Center announced 300 layoffs and St. John Providence Health System reduced staff by 100 workers. The University of Michigan also laid off 15 managers during fiscal year 2013 that ended June 30.

"CHE Trinity Health lays off 45 IT employees" originally appeared in Crain's Detroit Business.