No Baptist
by July 21, 2003 12:00 am 90 views
Washington Regional Medical Center spokesperson Terry Fox has dispelled rumors that Baptist Health Medical Center of Little Rock is in negotiations to purchase the hospital. Fox said that WRMC officials have also heard the rumors since last month’s layoff of 43 employees.
Fox said the hospital is not for sale and that no additional layoffs are expected.
“That’s been part of the rumor,” Fox said when asked about more layoffs. “But, we just had a board meeting and, no ma’am.”
The staff cuts were an effort to reduce operational costs — about $2.3 million out of the hospital’s $160 million annual budget. The cuts are part of an operational development plan that will take several years to implement and involves restructuring the hospital’s resources to better fit the community’s needs.
WRMC moved in August from the center of Fayetteville’s business district to the North Hills Medical Park near Interstate 540 on the northern edge of the city. The new 223-bed hospital cost WRMC $89 million. Hospital officials have denied the capital expenditures resulted in the need to lay off staff.