The financially troubled St. Francis Health Center in Topeka will soon be acquired by the University of Kansas Health System and its partner, Nashville-based Ardent Health Services.

TOPEKA ? The new owners of St. Francis Health in Topeka say they plan to eliminate 60 jobs as part of staff realignment but will also add 86 new full-time positions.

The University of Kansas Health System and Nashville-based Ardent Health Services says the new jobs will be primarily in nursing and clinical care areas.

Mark Gregson, who is leading the transition for the new hospital, says the laid off workers will be encouraged to apply for the new positions or to look within the Ardent or KU Health systems.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the positions being eliminated include administrative, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health and system positions. No bedside nursing staff jobs will be lost.

The two systems announced in June that they would take over the 108-year-old hospital.