BROCKTON — Through layoffs and not filling empty jobs, Brockton Hospital and its network of doctors have cut almost 4% of its workforce.
Signature Healthcare, the nonprofit company that owns the hospital and related physicians’ practices, made the announcement Aug. 11. It’s been a year since Brockton Hospital reopened after a devastating fire.
No “bedside” positions have been cut, said Beth MacNeill, vice president of marketing and development for Signature. The cuts came in finance and leadership positions, she said. Measured in terms of full-time job equivalents, less than 100 employees were laid off, she said.
‘Fat shots’ kill demand for bariatric surgery
Signature will also stop offering bariatric surgery. That’s the name for several procedures including gastric bypass aimed at helping patients lose weight. With the swift rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, demand for bariatrics has slowed, MacNeill said. Signature will also wind down its cardiac rehabilitation services.
“These were extremely difficult decisions that were not made lightly,” Robert Haffey, president and CEO of Signature Healthcare, said in an Aug. 11 statement. “We are deeply grateful for the hard work and commitment of every member of our team. These changes are necessary to ensure that we can continue delivering safe, high-quality and compassionate care to the communities we serve.”
Signature said it faces mounting financial pressure, like many health care providers nationwide. “Nearly 80% of the organization’s revenue is tied to government payers such as Medicare and Medicaid, which have not kept pace with the rising cost of care delivery,” Signature announced. “Compounding this challenge are the high expenses related to the hospital’s reopening and ongoing delays in insurance reimbursements stemming from last year’s hospital closure.”
‘Here for the long run’
The most recent state financial reports show Brockton Hospital with a $34.4 million loss from the costs of running the facility in the period from Oct. 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. Signature’s Medical Group lost $6.7 million during that time. The typical Massachusetts hospital or hospital system ran an operating deficit of $3.8 million, according to government statistics.
The cutbacks in staffing and services aim to make Signature’s finances stable so the hospital and doctors’ network are “here for the long run,” MacNeill said.
Another major player in Brockton’s health care scene also recently made cuts. Brockton Neighborhood Health Center cut 65 jobs in April. Like Brockton Hospital, BNHC relies on reimbursements from government.
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