In show of support for hospital staff, the heads of 13 departments at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston have agreed to donate $350,000 to help reduce the need for staff layoffs. The facility, which at first expected 600 layoffs, will let go 140 or fewer employees, according to The Boston Globe.

Like many hospitals, Beth Israel is seeing fewer patients and lower payments from government programs.

To further reduce the number of layoffs, the department heads each contributed about $27,000 from their annual pay, according to a news release.

Paul Levy, the hospital’s chief executive, revealed the decision in an e-mail message to staff that he posted on his blog, “Running a Hospital.”

“Our doctors have once again shown the affection they have for the hospital staff and have displayed a marvelous sense of community,” Levy wrote. “This is a kind and generous act.”

Staff earning the least — housekeepers, patient transporters, and foodservice workers, for example — will be exempt from salary cuts and will receive their scheduled 3% raises this year. Levy said he anticipates two years without pay increases for other staffers.

To read Levy’s blog, visit www.runningahospital.blogspot.com.

To watch a video about this story, visit www.video.msn.com and search “Hospital, Heal Thyself.”