LAURINBURG — Dealing with the continued dramatic decrease in patient volumes and revenues due to the COVID-19 crisis, Scotland Health Care System informed several members of its team on Thursday that they would be furloughed through June 30.
“This was a very difficult decision, and one that we did not make lightly,’ said SHCS CEO Greg Wood. “It was an exceptionally hard decision as staff are willingly taking care of suspected or positive coronavirus patients every day, but ensuring the community’s health care system remains sustainable is critical.
“We had already put in pay reductions for executives, managers and employed physicians and were continually reducing staffing schedules to match the volume decreases,” he added. “Capital projects and purchases that are not mission critical have also been suspended. It was clear, however, that these changes would not counter the large financial losses underway that I know will continue for the next few months.”
With the support and understanding of the system’s Board of Trustees, nearly 70 staff were furloughed Thursday. Most were in non-patient care areas, though some direct caregivers were affected. Several managers were also furloughed.
Wood said that, as volumes improve, the system plans to bring staff back.
He added that furloughed employees will remain on the system’s payroll through this period and receive full benefits.
“Keeping a small, rural hospital system strong and viable has been getting harder every day,” said Board Chairman David Harling. “The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been enormous and has made our challenge to be sustainable even greater.
“These decisions, while regrettable, are necessary to ensure your Scotland Health Care System is here to continue to serve our community excellently for many years to come,” he added.