Downtown Minneapolis Hospital To Cut Workforce Next Year

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis is planning to reduce its workforce by as much as 4 percent next year.

The hospital plans to eliminate up to 275 full-time positions to balance the hospital's budget and keep the opening of a new ambulatory and outpatient surgery center on schedule for 2018.

The hospital's workforce totals more than 6,800 people.

Chief Financial Officer Derrick Hollings says some jobs might be eliminated through attrition rather than through layoffs.

The workforce reduction will save the hospital $28 million. Proposed wage freezes would save another $3 million.

The County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the hospital budget Tuesday.