BANGOR — Several doctors at Maine’s second-largest hospital are resigning amid benefit cuts and greater patient loads.

The Bangor Daily News reports that since March, eight doctors at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor have submitted resignations.

Those eight doctors are among a group of 45 hospitalists, physicians who provide a wide range of care to patients.

The hospital is employing fewer hospitalists, increasing the number of patients each doctor sees per shift.

The hospital reclassified hospitalists as shift-based workers, a move that eliminated their paid time off.

Doctors say the increased workload is unsafe and limits individual attention for patients with complex problems.

Northern Light officials say the turnover is normal and the changes are part of a system-wide improvement effort aligning the hospital with national norms and compensation in similar markets.