From the Asheville Citizen-Times

Citing lower patient numbers, three Western North Carolina hospitals recently laid off more than 80 employees.

The hospitals in Haywood, Swain and Jackson counties are part of MedWest, which formed in 2010 when WestCare-affiliated Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva and Swain County Hospital in Bryson City became affiliated with Haywood Regional Medical Center. MedWest has a management agreement with Carolinas HealthCare System.

MedWest began analyzing staffing levels a year ago, and the hospitals had already eliminated some positions, according to Lucretia Stargell, director of corporate relations for MedWest.