BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

CANTON — A petition posted by 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is calling on Rochester Regional Health to reconsider planned layoffs they say will impact 100 employees systemwide, including about 40 local medical coding staff.

The affected positions reportedly include coding staff at Canton-Potsdam Hospital and Gouverneur Hospital, which are part of the Rochester Regional Health system.

Union organizers said Rochester Regional Health is planning to lay off “over 100 employees in less than 30 days,” including “approximately 40 local team members who handle coding for our facilities,” in a message circulating in the petition.

North Country This Week was not able to confirm the accuracy of  the actual number of cuts, but at least 30 jobs are expected to be impacted in St. Lawrence County, according to an email shared with the paper.

“We, the undersigned employees and community members, respectfully urge hospital leadership and the Board of Trustees to reconsider the decision to lay off local coding staff and outsource this work,” the petition says.

“Our rural hospital operates in a complex financial environment. Accurate billing and coding are not just administrative tasks. They are critical to maintaining revenue, compliance, and patient trust. Local staff understand our physicians, our patient population, and the unique challenges of serving this community. That knowledge cannot be easily replaced.”

The petition says outsourcing work risks disrupting “revenue flow and eliminating stable, local jobs that support families in our community. Strong rural hospitals depend on local expertise and a strong workforce.” 

It cited other hospitals that have faced financial instability after similar moves. 

“We have seen other nearby hospitals make similar decisions in recent years, only to face serious financial instability afterward. While many factors affect hospital finances, transitions like this can create risks that rural systems may struggle to absorb,” it said.

The petition is likely referring to North Star Health Alliance which is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings after major restructuring, part of which did involve outsourcing coding work.

“We ask leadership to pause this plan and engage in meaningful dialogue about solutions that protect both financial stability and local jobs. Our hospital is a community institution. Its future should remain rooted here,” the petition said.

North Country Now reached out to Rochester Regional Health for comment and additional details on the timeline of the cuts and their potential impact but received the following statement.

“Rochester Regional Health is making a targeted operational change in the St. Lawrence Region as part of our ongoing work to align administrative functions across our system and ensure long-term sustainability This change completes a transition that began with prior technology and workflow updates and allows us to reduce duplication while maintaining consistency, compliance, and access to care. The St. Lawrence Region remains operationally stable and deeply committed to serving the North Country community. We recognize the impact this has on affected team members and are committed to supporting them through this transition.”

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