Company lays off 41 at Desert Springs Hospital

Last week Universal Health Services -- owners of Summerlin, Valley, Centennial Hills, Spring Valley and Desert Springs Hospitals -- announced the planned $3.1 billion purchase of psychiatric hospitals in Nevada, including two in the Las Vegas Valley.

This week the Pennsylvania-based, for-profit hospital chain announced 41 layoffs at Desert Springs Hospital.

"The reduction in force is not related to the psychiatric division," said Michelle Swafford, marketing manager at Desert Springs.

Swafford said "no direct patient care nurses were affected," adding that Monday's layoff of employees includes managers, supervisors, clinical and support staff.

"We took steps to align our work force size with our current patient care volumes, which have declined over the past several months," Swafford said.

No other hospitals in the five-member hospital Valley Health System chain laid off employees this week, Swafford said.

Contact reporter Paul Harasim at pharasim@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2908.