More than 250 positions are being cut amid a budget crisis at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. MPB's Alexis Ware reports.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center is facing a 32 million dollar budget shortfall by laying off almost 200 workers. 85 vacant positions will not be filled. Medical Center officials say those moves will recover 24 million dollars out of the 32.7 million dollar deficit.
Dr. Charles O'Mara is the Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs.
"We have implemented the plan on a specific area or department basis and allowed each area to come up with the best plan for that area to meet the targeted savings.
The plan also includes increasing revenue by raising fees. Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. LouAnn Woodward says she hopes the cuts does not affect services.
"Our vision and our mission hasn't changed at all it is still very important for us to provide services for Mississippians that number one might otherwise not have access to services and number two the services that might not be found anywhere else in the state."
UMMC plans to move forward with the expansion of the children's hospital and other improvements.
