Layoffs at hospitals: a challenge for health care managers

Like other organizations that are directly impacted by the state of the economy, some hospitals and other health care providers are discovering that staff reductions are realities that heretofore have been rare during recessionary periods. Consequently, health care managers are increasingly required to notify affected workers of layoff and convey to them critical information in meetings that are often fraught with anxiety and anger. Nevertheless, there are steps that the organization's managers can take to ensure that layoffs are addressed in a professional manner that maintains the trust and respect of the workforce.