Mercy is laying off about 55 employees in Toledo-area offices and hospitals to help deal with lowered reimbursement rates, an increase in uninsured patients, and other economic factors.

Most positions being eliminated are among management and not involved with patient care, including some in back-office functions such as billing, payroll, and finance, Mercy spokesman Megan Manahan said.

Employees whose positions are being eliminated were notified Tuesday, and some will lose their jobs the end of this week, Ms. Manahan said. The majority of Mercy's 7,500 employees are in the Toledo area, and hospitals in the region are not affected by layoffs, she said.

Hospitals nationwide are making cuts as they prepare for changes with health-care reform, have fewer patients as people delay treatments, and as the challenging economy continues, Ms. Manahan said. "What we're seeing is happening around the country," she said. "It's kind of where the industry's at right now."

Last spring, University of Toledo Medical Center laid off 80 employees. That included eliminating 64 patient-care aide positions, which was similar to a nurse's aide, in favor of having UT students perform those duties through a co-op program at the former Medical College of Ohio.

Ohio and Michigan hospitals elsewhere also have had layoffs in recent months.

Mercy last laid off employees in 2009, when 71 jobs were cut throughout northwest Ohio. At the time, Mercy was facing an increasing need for free patient care that was more than anticipated.

Those who are laid off will receive severance and continuation of health-care benefits, said Sarah Bednarski, Mercy spokesman.

Some layoffs are among union members, who have bumping rights, Ms. Manahan said. Mercy has to react to changing markets, but additional work force cuts are not in the works, she said.

"We have no plans for more layoffs," Ms. Manahan said.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at: jmckinnon@theblade.com or 419-724-6087.

First Published January 20, 2012, 5:00 a.m.