Staff adjustments ongoing at WakeMed

Staff adjustments are ongoing at WakeMed as part of the health care provider’s “Road to Excellence” initiative that was announced last fall.

Debbie Laughery, WakeMed Health & Hosptials’ vice president of public relations, says the health care system over the past several months has decided not to fill about 80 vacant positions across its 12 campuses, while adding about 160 other jobs.

Thirty-two workers were notified this month that their positions have been eliminated, including 10 in police and public safety. Laughery says the move, which included five people in management positions, does not compromise employee or patient safety.

Some of the 32 workers have been hired in different roles or shifted to part-time schedules.

WakeMed currently employs about 7,700 people.

The hospital says its “Road to Excellence” initiative looks at all aspects of operations to help ensure efficiency, effectiveness and quality patient care while cutting annual operating costs as much $60 million to $87 million.