The New York nurses replaced by AI: ‘It should concern every patient who cares about quality of care’

# Montefiore Hospital Lays Off 12 Nurses, Replaces Roles With AI

Montefiore hospital in the Bronx has laid off 12 nurses, with their positions being replaced by artificial intelligence technology. The affected workers included utilization review nurses such as Marilyn Shuler, who had worked in the role for 39 years. The layoffs have prompted complaints from the nurses' union, which represents the displaced staff.

The union alleges that the hospital violated a recently negotiated labor contract through these layoffs. The union had secured the contract through a strike, making the subsequent job eliminations a breach of the agreement the two parties had just reached. Union representatives have expressed concern about the implications for patient care, with one statement asserting that the situation "should concern every patient who cares about quality of care."

The layoffs represent a broader trend of healthcare institutions implementing artificial intelligence systems in administrative and clinical roles previously held by human workers. The specific functions performed by the laid-off utilization review nurses—reading and processing patient charts—are among the tasks that automation technology is increasingly capable of handling.