New York City's hospital system has announced plans to lay off another 500 workers, the Associated Press reports.

Hospital staffing is becoming an increasing issue and puts patients at higher risk of medical malpractice. As we reported earlier this year on our New York Injury Lawyer Blog, the time of day or day of the week that you check into a hospital -- and what hospital you choose -- can have an impact on the care and treatment you receive.

Patients admitted on the weekend are often at increased risk because of understaffing and other issues, including inadequate care and increased risk of hospital infections.

The journal Medical Care published a recent study noting the difference in how hospitals measure adequate care standards. While one hospital may experience problem care at an occupancy rate of 75 percent, another hospital does not manifest issues of concern until it reaches 90 percent occupancy.

Frequently, the level of staffing is the primary driver of quality-of-care. When finances dictate staffing levels, patient care suffers with the increased risk of negligent or inadequate care and the increased likelihood of hospital error.

New York City's Health and Hospital Corp has already shed 1,300 employees and the latest announcement brings to 2,400 the number of planned job cuts. Combined, they represent about 10 percent of the hospital system's 39,000 employees. Although the system contends the layoffs will mostly affect staff and trade workers, it is also planning to close clinics and combine outpatient services as it aims to close a $1.2 billion budget gap.

The Wall Street Journal reports the hospital system will also end contracts with "a significant number" of physicians.

The financial shortfall accounts for nearly 20 percent of the budget used to operate the system's 11 hospitals. Five children's clinics would be closed and pediatric specialties would be combined. About 135 of 650 beds for long-term patients would be eliminated, as would 300 of 2,300 skilled-nursing beds.

The announced staff reductions come in the wake of the closure of St. Vincent's Hospital, which filed for bankruptcy last month, and a report by the Associated Press, which found New York hospitals are among the weakest in the nation financially.