Signs of trouble in the Motor City

As the auto industry flounders, hospitals in the Detroit area are facing layoffs, the Detroit News reports. The Dearborn, Michigan-based Oakwood Healthcare system is cutting 250 jobs as a consequence of declining admissions. Nearby William Beaumont Hospitals plans to eliminate as many as 170. Other local hospitals, like Detroit Medical Center, confirm that admissions have slipped by about three percent per month since late last year.

"What's happening with the autos is affecting us," said Oakwood Chief Operating Officer Joe Diederich. "The question is, How long with this go on?" Not all hospitals in the region are feeling the pain in equal measure, however. Admissions are up at Henry Ford Health System and "doing quite well" at St. John Health System.

- see this article from the Detroit News