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60 hospital beds closing -- 62 layoff notices

Health Sciences North in Sudbury has issued layoff notices to 62 staff as the hospital moves to shut down 30 beds March 31, 2012. Another 30 are scheduled to shut March 31, 2013. All 60 beds are at the hospital's Memorial site.

The Hospital defends the cuts, arguing that ambulatory clinics will replace the beds, the Sudbury Star reports.

But Dr. Stephen Kosar, president of the Sudbury and District Medical Society is skeptical, adding that he is hoping for a stay of execution: "Maybe the governor will make a call before they walk down the green mile."

The beds to be closed are serving alternative level of care (ALC) patients. There were 43 ALC patients in acute-care beds at the main hospital and 61 at the Memorial site on Thursday. The Star reports that the "hospital has fewer beds than planners wanted and they said it would only be large enough to serve the community -- and the region -- if it had no ALC patients."
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  1. LeftwordsFebruary 11, 2012 at 10:46 AM

    Correction:the hospital subsequently sent out a letter noting that the layoff notices have not been issued. (Yet.)

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