WEIRTON, W.Va. -- Weirton Medical Center announced Wednesday that it is reducing its workforce by approximately 36 full-time equivalent employees.

The reduction affects union, non-union and management positions across a number of departments and is expected to save the hospital $2 million a year.

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Dr. Joseph P. Endrich, president and CEO, said that the reduction was the outcome of a five-month operational review to identify areas where the medical center could provide patient care more efficiently at a lower cost.

“The operations, including staffing levels, of every department were compared to over 400 similar hospitals across the country. Our review identified $2 million in savings that could be achieved without sacrificing services or quality of care. The efficiencies that result from this review will not only improve our financial performance, but will position the Weirton Medical Center for continued growth in the next few years,” Endrich said.. “While we regret that employees’ jobs have been affected by the workforce reduction, we believe it is a prudent and necessary measure in today’s competitive healthcare environment.”

The reduction will be carried out over the next month. The total number of employees affected by the reduction was not immediately known due to contractual layoff and bumping procedures.