The biggest impact will be on the hospital agency's nursing staff, which is now about 9,000.

In 1996, the hospitals agency laid off about 800 workers.

The committee report called the hospital agency's substance abuse services limited and out of date.

At a certain distance, the hospital agency's sacrifice appears relatively small.

Almost all work on the project had to stop until the hospitals agency hired a replacement company five months later.

Whether by accident or design, he put the hospitals agency in a competitive situation.

The hospitals agency may also stop providing free health care to the city's police and firefighters.

This issue was given new urgency last month when the hospitals agency said it would lay off 800 more workers.

The hospital agency also has been plagued by problems.

The hospital agency itself has criticized these private institutions for providing poor supervision of residents.