MU Health Care today announced a series of organizational, operational and workforce changes designed to strengthen the health system’s long-term financial sustainability, improve operational performance and position the organization to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities across Missouri.

The changes are part of a broader organizational redesign that reflects significant shifts in health care, including workforce dynamics, reimbursement pressures, patient expectations and increasing operational complexity.

"Health care is changing rapidly, and our organization must evolve with it," said Ric Ransom, chief executive officer. "These decisions are difficult, but they are necessary to ensure MU Health Care remains strong, competitive and capable of serving patients and communities for generations to come."

As part of the redesign, MU Health Care reduced its workforce by 74 employees. The reductions were concentrated primarily in non-clinical and administrative areas, with the guiding principle of protecting patient care and minimizing impact on frontline caregivers and clinical staff.

Workforce decisions were informed by organizational needs, management structure and benchmarking against peer health systems. In some areas, staffing levels exceeded those of comparable organizations, while in others, operational assessments identified opportunities to add positions and better align resources with patient and operational needs.

Employees impacted by the reductions received individualized support, including information about Transition Assistance Pay, benefits continuation, internal job opportunities and other transition resources. More than 500 positions remain open across MU Health Care.

MU Health Care is also proposing changes to certain employee benefit programs, including retirement contributions, holidays and paid time off, to better align with peer health systems while maintaining a competitive overall benefits package. The proposal also includes enhancements such as dependent care assistance, expanded Employee Assistance Program counseling services and new fertility and adoption benefits. These changes, which are subject to approval by the University of Missouri Board of Curators, are intended to create a more sustainable benefits program while maintaining competitiveness within the health care industry.

In addition to workforce and benefits changes, MU Health Care is implementing a series of operational initiatives intended to improve access, efficiency and patient experience. These include:

• Optimizing schedules to increase appointment availability
• Reducing wait times and improving patient flow
• Aligning staffing and resources to better serve patients
• Evaluating where services are offered to ensure patients receive care in the right setting

The health system also announced several initiatives to expand access to care, including a new urgent care and expanded imaging services at Keene Street Medical Center, as well as the transition of certain lower-acuity surgical procedures to ambulatory settings.

As part of these efforts, MU Health Care will close its four Hy-Vee Quick Care locations. As patient care needs have evolved, demand for urgent care and primary care services has continued to grow, while demand for Quick Care services has declined over time. The health system plans to offer access to convenient care by offering walk-in services at select existing locations during regular business hours, evenings and weekends in the near future.

"These actions are not simply about reducing costs," said Ransom. "They are about aligning our organization with the realities of modern health care, improving how we serve patients and ensuring we can continue investing in our people, our mission and the communities that rely on us."

MU Health Care will continue to communicate with employees, patients and community stakeholders as implementation moves forward.

Contact: Eric Maze, mazee@health.missouri.edu, (573) 876-0708