Nearly 70 employees at the Springfield Clinic are being let go, according to an internal document obtained by The State Journal-Register.

“These decisions were made with great diligence and only after exhausting every other option. I want to acknowledge the weight that everyone has felt over the past week. I know it’s been extremely difficult,” Acting CEO Jen Boyer wrote.

She cited “a number of market forces” that the company has battled for several years.

“We’ve worked to absorb the increased costs of essentially everything since 2020. ‘Absorbing’ means two things: identifying unnecessary expenses and innovating through new service lines and technology to ensure our patients continue to choose Springfield Clinic."

Boyer also offered reasons to be confident about the company's future.

“Our ASC [Ambulatory Surgery Center] in Peoria, outpatient cath labs in Springfield and our Urgent Care Plus are all examples of those innovations and they’re why I’m confident that that we’ll be successful moving forward.”

Boyer added that the company has “moved rapidly in a direction that has significantly minimized the reductions to our team.”

Zach Kerker, who is the company's Chief Brand and Advocacy Officer, issued a statement Friday afternoon after the SJ-R sought comment about the layoffs.

"Like many health care organizations, Springfield Clinic is facing financial challenges due to rising operational costs, insurance reimbursement constraints and economic pressures nationwide. While we have worked hard to absorb these impacts, we must now make difficult but necessary adjustments, including budget and workforce reductions. These decisions are not made lightly, and we stay deeply committed to providing high-quality health care while ensuring long-term sustainability for our patients, employees and the community we serve."

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at [email protected].