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JCH lays off more staff By JASON SCHAEFER Johns Community Hospital let go 14 more full-time employees in response to continued increasing competition from the opening of three new Williamson County hospitals last year. Hospital CEO Ernest Balla said the competition for patients has directly affected the hospital’s number of clients, creating the need to cut staff. JCH eliminated 40 full-time equivalent positions in July, which included laying off 25 staff members. At that time the hospital’s admissions had decreased by about 15 percent. “We’re just looking at how we can do things more efficiently,” Balla said. The hospital was re-designated as a Level IV trauma facility in July, allowing it to care for trauma patients until they are stabilized. The designation does help, Balla said, but had no large effect. The lay offs are also in part due to poor economic conditions. According to Balla, more patients are coming into the hospital without adequate insurance and cannot afford to pay their bills. The hospital is looking at ways to continue providing services in Taylor. “It’s hard to know what’s coming,” Balla said. “One thing our board is looking at is partnering with ... a larger, stronger partner so we can make sure the community has continued health services in the future.” The JCH board is considering three different hospital systems, but Balla said he could not name which due to confidentiality agreements. A partnership would allow JCH access to greater capital, provide more specialists and increase the level of the hospital’s services. The board expects to “get something settled” in the first half of 2009, Balla said. “The whole purpose of the hospital is to provide health services, and we want to insure in the future we’re able to continue to do that,” Balla said.
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