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Layoffs continue to strike the New River Valley, as nine people lost their jobs Thursday at Pulaski Community Hospital and at Montgomery Regional Hospital, as part of company-wide downsizing by HCA, Inc.
Nancy May, Marketing Director for the Southwest Region of HCA, Inc, which includes Alleghany Regional Hospital in Low Moor, Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem, Montgomery Regional in Blacksburg and Pulaski Community in Pulaski told EverythingNRV.com that company-wide 20 employees were laid off on Thursday. Another eight positions, which are now open, will not be filled. “Seven employees at Pulaski Community and two at Montgomery Regional were laid off Thursday,” said May. “All of these laid-off positions were salary-exempt administrative positions.” As for the company’s other two hospitals in this region, Alleghany laid off four and Lewis-Gale laid off seven employees. “Three of the four employees at Alleghany have already been offered other positions within the hospital,” added May. May emphasized that none of the layoffs involved anyone with direct patient care. “These layoffs will not jeopardize the quality patient care we give,” said May. “In fact, we are still recruiting for nurses and other clinical positions.” May explained that layoffs have to do with what they call “doubtful accounts,” which are accounts that become bad debt. “We have seen a 50 percent increase in bad debts compared to the previous year,” May stated. As for HCA, Inc. company-wide, May did not know if any other regions were laying off any employees. She did not anticipate any more employees to be laid off in this area.
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