Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare & Portland Medical Center

A tougher economic climate has prompted Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare to cut 99 workers. The cuts show that economic woes are affecting the health care sector, which is sometimes viewed as recession-proof. The cuts affect areas that don't involve direct contact with patients, including management, clerical support and janitorial and food service staff. Non-profit Methodist began informing workers recently. So far, the cuts affect only about 1 percent of the 10,000 employees at Methodist, which operates five hospitals in the Memphis area and one in Fayette County, plus smaller facilities. Methodist didn't provide a breakdown of where the cuts were. Methodist will try to place the laid-off workers in other jobs in the hospital group and will continue to fill other vacancies. The system's web site lists 267 openings, including many slots for registered nurses and a pharmacy job posted recently.

HCA Inc. is closing the emergency department and most other operations at its 38-bed hospital in Portland, Tenn., a decision that affects about 60 employees. Most services at Portland Medical Center are being moved to Hendersonville Medical Center. The chief executive of Hendersonville Medical cited a decline in patients admitted to Portland Medical among reasons for the move.