Adventist Health Simi Valley Lays Off 31 Employees
October 16, 2017: A drop in inpatient admissions has caused 144-bed Adventist Health Simi Valley to lay off 31 employees. The Ventura County Star reports that the force reduction was confirmed by hospital officials yesterday.
Hospital CEO Jennifer Swenson said that 12 registered nurses were laid off and that the remainder of the reduction came from nonclinical positions including unit secretaries and a philanthropy position.
Although outpatient treatment by the hospital has been growing, Swenson said that the inpatient census for the hospital fell about 7% over the last year. She framed this drop as part of a national drop in inpatient hospital visits.
The drop has meant that some of the workers at the hospital have been given fewer hours in order for the hospital to cut costs.
Swenson said that the fall in patient numbers has been perceived as a trend rather than a blip and that the hospital had to adjust.
The facility has not instituted a hiring freeze. Several job vacancies are still being advertised. Swenson said that some employees who lost their jobs will be given work elsewhere in the hospital or within Adventist Health.
The Simi Valley facility is part of Adventist Health, an Adventist-run healthcare system with 20 hospitals as well as other facilities spread across California, Oregon, Hawaii and Washington.