(AP) -- ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Beaumont Hospitals medical system says it's eliminating 500 of its 18,000 jobs in response to the nation's economic problems. The system includes three suburban Detroit hospitals with 1,711 beds. They're in Royal Oak, Troy and Grosse Pointe. A Beaumont news release says the cuts will save $60 million in 2009. President and chief executive Kenneth Matzick says, "These are challenging times, and hospital systems across America are not immune to the problems."
Beaumont says more than 200 of the 500 jobs already have been eliminated through a hiring freeze that started in September. The system says it's also cutting pay for executives and staff doctors, slowing or freezing development plans and reducing supply costs.
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