West Penn Finalizes Job Cuts

The West Penn Allegheny Health System announced its final plans for the consolidation of the West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield today saying around 400 jobs would be cut as relocation of its services begins in January. An original estimate for jobs lost due to the consolidation announced in June was approximately 1,500 positions. The facility in Bloomfield will continue to offer outpatient services and outpatient surgery. But other areas, inluding emergency services will move to Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side. The emergency unit of the Bloomfield branch will close December 31. According to West Penn, 210 employees will accept other positions within the system, 65 employees will move to Allegheny General, 220 employees left through resignations, and 400 will lose their jobs as a result of the consolidation. West Penn spokesman Dan Laurent says West Penn's plan is to provide health care needs locally with an eye on future changes in health care reform, "We're focused on our system and what we need to do to become a more effective health care system for the people of this community." Laurent says they plan to develop more localized, community health care at a center it plans to built in Peters Township next year.