PeaceHealth is eliminating 150 information technology jobs across Washington state, with the bulk of the cuts hitting Vancouver and smaller clusters in Bellingham and Sedro-Woolley, as the nonprofit health system shifts day-to-day tech operations to an outside vendor. The layoffs, which take effect November 20, will touch application developers, analysts, cybersecurity workers, network and database administrators, data specialists and hospital technology support employees.
According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Vancouver facilities account for 119 of the affected positions, with two more in Springfield, Oregon. Cascadia Daily News reports that 17 more jobs are being eliminated in Bellingham, including positions at the Chestnut Building, along with four positions in Sedro-Woolley. The identified positions total 142, not 150. PeaceHealth filed the layoff notice with Washington state labor officials as required, spelling out the November 20 effective date.
The jobs are being handed to Tech Mahindra, an India-based technology company, through its U.S. health care subsidiary The HCI Group. PeaceHealth is beginning a five-year contract with HCI Group that includes options for two additional one-year renewals, according to the same Cascadia Daily News report. The agreement transfers day-to-day management of applications, data, network operations and infrastructure to the vendor, PeaceHealth confirmed to the outlet.
Who’s Losing Their Jobs, and Who’s Not
PeaceHealth spokesperson Jim Murez said the health system expects the final number of affected employees to land under 250, per the Oregonian/OregonLive report. Laid-off workers will not have bumping rights, but they will receive all wages owed when their jobs end. PeaceHealth has notified everyone directly affected, and the company says outsourcing will not touch employees who provide direct patient care…