AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT ORACLE / CERNER CORPORATION (02/06/24)

Am I Next? Cerner Corporation Restructuring with cost-cutting layoffs.

FEBRUARY 6, 2024 — 124 EMPLOYEES

The company will lay off 124 employees in Springfield, Missouri, and will affect employees who were conducting health information technology operations for CoxHealth, a not-for-profit health system spanning six hospitals and over 80 clinics, who switch from Cerner to Epic for its electronic health record system.

The jobs cut included senior managers, project managers, and dozens of systems, technical, and business analysts.

JUNE 18, 2023 — HUNDREDS OF LAYOFFS

Oracle has reportedly laid off hundreds of employees, rescinded job offers, and cut back open positions within its Cerner health unit. According to sources familiar with the matter, the layoffs were largely due to Cerner’s challenged work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which hired Cerner to replace its homemade medical records with Cerner’s technology.

JUNE 7, 2022 — ORACLE ACQUIRES CERNER

Hang on, the ride is going to get bumpy with Oracle wringing profits out of Cerner and further integrating its tech.

A comment on TechCrunch… “Cerner certainly has the potential to do that, but it depends on how the two companies fit together in the end, and if Oracle can take all of that market potential and turn it into a viable business inside Oracle. However it turns out, the deal is done as of midnight tonight.”

DECEMBER 21, 2021 — IT MAY GET WORSE. CERNER TO BE ACQUIRED BY ORACLE CORPORATION.

Oracle Corporation has announced that it has. agreed to acquire Cerner Corporation for approximately $28.3 billion.

While the deal would enhance Oracle’s cloud-based health care information systems, it may not bode well for Cerner employees as they experience Oracle’s ruthless management style and aggressive cost-cutting.

2005 — Oracle announced plans to lay off an estimated 5,000 people after its PeopleSoft acquisition.

2006 — Oracle announced plans to lay off an estimated 2,000 people after its Siebel Systems Inc. acquisition.

2010 — Oracle announced plans to lay off an estimated 1,000 people after its Sun Microsystems acquisition.

Likely areas for eliminating duplicate roles often include back-office operations in areas such as marketing, legal, finance, and HR.

Awaiting the necessary deal approvals gives Cerner employees time to assess their individual prospects under Oracle leadership.

NOVEMBER 2, 2021 — I FEEL BAD, BUT YOU’RE STILL LAID OFF

Cerner's CEO, as quoted in the company’s company's quarterly earnings call in November 2021, referred to the company’s decision to lay off 150 employees in November…

"When you lay off a person, you're actually not laying off a person, you oftentimes are impacting an entire family, so I like to multiply any layoff in my mind by four or five about how many people are being affected, and I think it's terrible."

OCTOBER 23, 2021 — 150 LAYOFFS IN MID-NOVEMBER

The company was forced to acknowledge that 150 layoffs were scheduled in mid-November 2021 after comments surfaced in social media.

According to Cerner CEO David Feinberg, "Although I would have liked to be the first to inform you, I can confirm, in early November, approximately 150 positions will be eliminated from their roles at Cerner. These actions are never easy."

It has been suggested that the cuts might affect the CernerWorks operation and involve the outsourcing of operations to Cerner facilities in India.

JUNE 12, 2021 — MAJOR REDUCTION IN FORCE IMPACTS 550 EMPLOYEES

The company has acknowledged a major reduction in force, rumored to impact 550 employees companywide.

A company statement noted, “Cerner remains committed to positioning the company for future success. We are focused on delivering a higher order of benefits for clients, associates, and shareholders. Our recent actions demonstrate our continued enterprise-wide transformation work - ensuring we more efficiently deliver value to clients and set the company on a path to long-term, profitable growth.”

NOVEMBER 12, 2019 — ADDITIONAL 130 LAYOFFS INCLUDING 60 IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Cerner has announced a second round of layoffs, effective immediately.

The company notes that the market has become saturated as fewer medical institutions require conversions to electronic health records.

The company appears to be undergoing a stringent review of its operations using third-party consultants — which never bodes well for employees.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 — Original post…

North Kansas City, Missouri-based Cerner Corporation, a vendor of health information technology solutions and consulting services, has announced a cost-cutting effort that will result in reduction in force of 255 employees, company-wide, but about half located in the company’s Kansas City offices. A company spokesperson noted “As mentioned in our Earnings call earlier this year, we’re looking to identify organizational efficiencies as we implement our new operating model. Part of that strategy includes a realignment of resources focused on key growth areas across the company.” The company faces stiff competition in the market for Electronic Health Records systems mandated by the government under the Affordable Care Act.

As with many companies cuttings costs to improve operating margins, we see the involvement of an activist investor, Starboard Value LP, that demanded board representation along with a series of organizational and cost-savings changes.We also find AlixPartners LLP, a well-known turnaround advisor providing input to decision-making. Various costs are being reimbursed to Starboard which tends to indicate a short-term play.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?