From staff reports
The Post-Searchlight

Memorial Hospital and Manor announced Friday their plans to cut 22 full and part time staff positions from the location this week.
Officials with the hospital released a statement Friday that they have plans to restructure and reorganize staffing within the facility as part of an, “ongoing effort to focus on ways to be more effective and efficient in their delivery of healthcare,” the statement said.
The press release further cited the struggle for healthcare facilities across the country to efficiently deliver healthcare.
“Hospitals must adapt to the changes on the horizon for the healthcare industry or they risk the future of their facility,” the statement said. “Just within the last two years, the state of Georgia has had five hospitals close.”
While there was no statement made about the threat of Memorial Hospital and Manor closing, the statement did say they had to proactively restructure to reduce operating expenses, improve the quality of patient care, provide efficient training and monitor processes for effectiveness from within the facility.
The release Thursday said the restructuring was conducted using available tools as well as feedback and input from managers and leaders of the facility.
Some positions have been combined to ensure more efficiency, while other positions have been eliminated.
“Memorial Hospital and Manor felt the decision was necessary to continue their mission of providing quality, effective and efficient healthcare to those in need,” the release said. “The ultimate goal of Memorial Hospital and Manor is to always provide the best care possible to their patients while being financially responsible in the process.”
Billy Walker, Chief Executive Officer for Memorial, said decisions like these are never easy, as they affect the lives of so many people.
Walker said hospitals throughout the state of Georgia and the nation are facing similar dilemmas and every healthcare facility is being challenged to look for ways to be more effective and efficient.
He further stated in the release he felt this decision was “necessary to ensure that we are doing our part to remain the provider of choice for our patients by ensuring that our Hospital is here for the community.”