Boone Health cutting 60-plus jobs; most are unfilled

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Publicly run Boone Health said Monday that it is cutting more than 60 of its 2,320 positions but most of them are unfilled.

The healthcare group which runs Boone Hospital Center and clinics said in a news release that 62 jobs are being cut, including 15 held by current employees. Those workers will get a severance, Boone Health says.

The cuts are part of Boone's "continuing efforts to contain costs and increase efficiencies," according to the release.

“This has been a difficult but necessary decision as we right-size our healthcare system and make ongoing efforts to seek efficiencies while maintaining our high quality of care during a time of increasing costs and changes to how the hospital is reimbursed for its services,” interim CEO Gene Meyer wrote in the news release.

The hospital is overseen by an elected board of directors. Boone Health began independent operation in spring 2021 after several years under St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare. The operation reported a $50 million loss in 2021 and a board member said in April that Boone Health was on track to have positive cash flow by the end of 2023.

Boone Health is in the top 10 employers in Boone County for number of workers.