MedWest-Haywood will discontinue in-home aide services in Haywood County, laying off 17 nursing assistants that visit housebound patients and aid them with routine personal, such as bathing.

MedWest-Haywood serves about 200 patients with skilled home health care services in Haywood and surrounding counties. Private companies and other community agencies that offer personal in-home care will take over the services, and the laid-off workers will hopefully be able to get new jobs with those companies.

MedWest-Haywood is working to provide a seamless transition by June 30.

The decision was based on cost. MedWest will continue to provide more skilled home health care services, which include nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social services and home health aide for personal care.

“It’s rare for a hospital to provide in-home aide services as part of home health care,” said Dwayne Hooks, chief nursing officer at MedWest-Haywood. “As a home health division, we can now focus on growing those specialized services that help people in their homes from a clinical aspect.”