SPRINGFIELD — As it continues to recover from more than $300 million in operating losses over the past few years, Baystate Health last week took a first step in what it calls “transformational change” by eliminating 134 leadership positions.

That represents less than 1% of Baystate’s workforce of 13,000, officials said.

“As a system, we are driving toward transformational change to deliver core operations improvements of more than $225 million over the next two years,” the hospital said in a statement. “Our $300 million in operating losses over the past few years has eroded our balance sheet, including our days cash on hand. This weakened financial position has severely limited our organization, especially our ability to invest in our people and grow to meet community needs.”

The statement said that the transformation will allow Baystate to invest $1.2 billion back into its employees, renovations, growth, access, and community over the next six years.

The reduction in leadership positions is the first step in those changes. Officials said significantly decreasing layers of management will improve efficiency and reduce costs without impacting bedside care, streamline decision-making, and better enable caregivers.

“While some of the impacted positions are currently vacant and will no longer be filled, there are leaders leaving Baystate,” the hospital said. “We know these transitions heartfeltly impact our people and their families.”

Baystate said it is working to find alternate positions for those whose roles were eliminated, and eligible team members who are not transitioned to another position will receive severance pay and other job support, including access to career transition services.

“We continue to recruit and hire physicians, advanced practice providers and bed-side caregivers,” the hospital said.

Future changes will involve changes to external spending and corporate overhead, as well assessments of its revenue cycle and real estate portfolio.

“Our Mission and Values always guide our work, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to improve the health of the people in our communities every day, with quality and compassion,” the hospital wrote.

Baystate Health dominates the western Massachusetts health care sphere. With 980 beds across five hospitals in Springfield, Greenfield, Westfield and Palmer, Baystate handles over 1.8 million outpatient visits, 180,000 emergency visits, 37,000 surgeries, and 4,000 births every year.