Chicago Healthcare Jobs Cut with NorthShore

Posted on January 26, 2009

Although the healthcare industry is often considered recession-proof, one Chicago area hospital is planning to cut more than 100 Chicago healthcare jobs.

NorthShore Skokie Hospital recently announced that it would cut 150 jobs, or about 14 percent of the company’s workforce. The job eliminations will not affect caregivers, but will leave seven senior executives and some secretaries, clerical support and business office staff without jobs. The hospital employs 1,100 workers.

“It has no impact on clinical activities and it involves redundant back office administrative services,” Jeffrey Hillebrand, chief operating officer of NorthShore University HealthSystem, said in the article. “None of the affected employees provide direct, hands-on care to patients.”

According to an article by the Chicago Tribune, Skokie Hospital, formerly Rush North Shore Medical Center, was recently purchased by NorthShore University HealthSystem. NorthShore also operates hospitals in Evanston, Glenview and Highland Park. The company also previously made plans to outsource some of the hospital’s work.

Despite a few job cuts here and there, the Chicago area’s healthcare industry has continued to thrive among the current economy. During November 2008, the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area’s education and health services industry employed 518,200 workers, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 516,000 workers during October 2008 and a 1.3 percent increase from last year.

However, the Chicago area’s economy as a whole has felt the effects of the current recession. During November, the area had a total non-farm employment of 3,875,500 workers, down from 3,885,800 workers during October and a .9 percent decrease from last year. The Chicago area had a 6.3 percent unemployment rate during November, down from 6.4 percent during October and lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.