Things have been turbulent lately in the healthcare industry, mostly thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some days, things go well and hospital systems bring back employees who were formerly furloughed. Other days, different health care systems lay off workers, file for bankruptcy, or make plans to close their doors. Several examples of these ups and downs have happened over the last week alone.
Some Good News: North Carolina Health Care System Re-hires Workers
According to sources, “Fayetteville, N.C.-based Cape Fear Valley Health has brought back 721 furloughed employees. The health system in late March furloughed 783 employees to help offset a drop in patient volume and revenue losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The remaining 62 employees will not be returning, according to the health system. The health system said it will offer laid-off employees priority placement in other roles at the system, severance pay and outplacement help. Cape Fear Valley Health said that that patient volume has gone up since it resumed surgeries, imaging tests and other nonemergency procedures.”
Now For the Bad: Permanently Furloughed Employees at Six Hospitals
According to a source, “More than 260 hospitals in the U.S. furloughed workers this spring to help offset losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, several of those hospitals are deciding to lay off furloughed workers permanently. Here are six of them:”
“1. Although Fayetteville, N.C.-based Cape Fear Valley Health has brought back 721 furloughed employees, the health system will permanently lay off 62 employees.
2. St. Lawrence Health System, a three-hospital network based in Potsdam, N.Y., has laid off 71 furloughed employees. The system had furloughed 427 employees in April.
3. Huntington, W.Va.-based Mountain Health Network will lay off 64 employees to help offset losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The affected positions include employees in leadership roles as well as some employees who were furloughed in April. None of the laid-off employees provide direct patient care, the health system said.
4. Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax Health said it has laid off 95 employees to help offset losses attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. The laid-off employees were among the nearly 400 Halifax Health staffers furloughed in April.
5. Peterborough, N.H.-based Monadnock Community Hospital laid off 21 employees the week of July 27, according to The Belanger Sentinel. The employees were part of the hospital’s furloughs in May, which affected 100 people.
6. Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., said it will permanently lay off 50 furloughed employees as well as 21 other employees who were not on furlough, according to The Union Leader. The hospital had furloughed 423 workers in late April.”
Getting Some Financial Relief
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