After news broke last week of Hahnemann University Hospital's imminent closing, and a proposed bill advocating for the demolition of Allentown State Hospital, there's a dark cloud over local hospitals.

Adding to this fact is the announcement that CarePoint Health, home to three hospitals in New Jersey — Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital and Hoboken Medical Center — plans to lay off at least 44 employees across all three hospitals in the coming months due to decreased patient volumes, NJ.com reports.

This, after a state report released in March found that CarePoint owners took home $157 million through questionable business practices, NJ.com notes.

RELATED READ: Hahnemann University Hospital announces it will no longer accept trauma patients

While representatives from the unions that will be affected by the layoffs are calling for local officials to examine the circumstances surrounding these layoffs, the for-profit organization defends the potential layoffs. Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for CarePoint Health, told NJ.com:

“While never an easy endeavor, we have utilized the most extreme caution and care to develop a plan that preserves our mission of providing the highest quality healthcare for the Hudson County community and maintains operational efficiency,” she said.

View NJ.com’s full report on the layoffs here.