Washington Regional Medical Center
Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville announced late last week that it would furlough 305 employees for 60 days, effective April 19, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital also said it had reduced the salaries by 10%, with senior managers receiving up to a 25% reduction.
“The impact that the coronavirus public health emergency is having on the nation’s economy and health care sector is well documented. …,” President and CEO Larry Shackelford said in a statement.
“As with countless health systems across the nation and in Arkansas, Washington Regional has come to the difficult conclusion that it must institute a furlough. The directives of federal and state public health authorities that hospitals limit all non-urgent and non-emergent surgical, diagnostic and outpatient procedures have resulted in drastic declines in both patient volumes and hospital revenues.”
Washington Regional is the latest health care provider to announce expense cuts and furloughs as COVID-19 has driven away demand for elective and other non-emergency procedures.
St. Bernards Healthcare of Jonesboro said Tuesday that it has closed some facilities, cut salaries and furloughed some workers as patient volume at its hospitals and clinics decline amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHI St. Vincent has cut expenses as well, including through furloughs. Others making similar moves include Baptist Health, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center and Arkansas Heart Hospital.
Shackelford said Washington Regional had attempted to limit its furlough to employees who do not currently perform functions that are critical to direct patient care delivery at the bedside.
Furloughed workers will continue to have access to their benefits, the hospital said.
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