Ascension Texas offers no clarification on reported layoffs, says ‘we continue to evolve’ in the wake of pandemic

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Ascension Texas on Thursday offered no clarification on reported layoffs and merely said in a statement to KWTX, “we continue to evolve how we deliver health care in this challenging environment” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health care network said it “focused primarily on non-clinical support roles” without confirming if employees in those roles had been laid off or separated from employment.

The Waco Tribune Herald, citing a person familiar with the situation, on Thursday, Jan. 26 reported Ascension Texas is eliminating jobs around the state, including at its Waco hospital.

Earlier Thursday, the Ascension Texas health care network announced it had reached a new agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for hospital, hospital-based clinic services and ambulatory surgery centers. “This means that the contract for these services will not end on January 31, 2023, and there will be no interruption in access for BCBSTX members who seek care at Ascension facilities,” the health network said in a news release.

Below is the full statement Ascension Texas emailed to KWTX when asked to confirm the layoffs reported by The Tribune Herald:

“The global COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant operational toll on health systems across the country, and Ascension Texas is no exception.

“We continue to evolve how we deliver care in this challenging environment and further align our strategies and structure to best support patient care initiatives in order to ensure the long-term strength of our organization as we continue to deliver compassionate, personalized care to all.

“Every effort was made to minimize the impact on patient care at the bedside and we focused primarily on non-clinical support roles.”

Copyright 2023 KWTX. All rights reserved.