Parkland Memorial Hospital Cutting 20 Jobs by October 1, 2014

Summary: Some 20 people will lose their jobs prior to October 1 at the health information management department for Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas County, Texas. 

Employees at Parkland Memorial Hospital were notified two weeks ago that they will see their jobs cut, according to The Dallas Morning News. There are a total of 20 jobs in the health information management department that will be cut by October 1 of this year.

“We’re cutting jobs and adding jobs and augmenting jobs,” said Jim Dunn, Parkland’s chief talent officer. “There’s no layoff plan at all, not at all.”

The jobs cuts are a direct result of the hospital moving from paper to electronic records.

“How long do we keep paper processes when he have electronic records underway?” Dunn asked. “You can’t assume if you’ve had a position for 10 to 15 years that we need that position.”

The hospital created a career development center that will hopefully introduce employees to other jobs they might be able to work at the Dallas County hospital.

County Commissioner John Wiley Price said, “They’re beginning to repurpose people and move them into positions that might be more comfortable for their skill set. Layoffs is a presumption in an environment like this. But you have managers looking at longtime employees and wondering where they can plug them into the organization. There is a genuine effort to keep people who have institutional value.”

The hospital is cutting some 558 full-time jobs in the final days of fiscal year 2014, according to a rough budget for 2015. The budget also discusses the addition of 543 new jobs for 2015. This accounts for a net loss of just 15 jobs.

“In this coming budget year, some departments will inevitably end up with fewer staff,” Dunn said. “Others will end up with more. We have some employees who are elated because they could transition into a role they want. You will have some people who elect to leave.”

Dunn crafted an email for hospital workers on Monday with the subject of: “Clarification regarding Parkland staffing levels.”

“Every department head is evaluating staffing and determining how to work as efficiently as possible,” Dunn wrote. “While adjustments are being made and a few positions will be changed or eliminated, there is no layoff plan being implemented within Parkland.”

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