Bradford Regional Medical Center announced on Jan. 6, staff reductions of 59 employees to deal with the effects of a challenging healthcare environment and the financial condition of the hospital.
According to Hospital President and CEO Timothy Finan, “The staff reductions are necessary to ensure improved financial stability of the hospital. Current patient volumes and activity levels cannot support existing hospital staffing levels. This is a very painful, but necessary, decision that will ensure that we retain the ability to provide care to the community we serve. To do otherwise would potentially prompt additional job losses and place the hospital’s mission in jeopardy.”
Finan made it clear that the staff reductions will in no way impact patient care or safety. The staff reductions were made as a result of a comprehensive assessment of the hospital’s financial performance and is part of an overall hospital financial improvement plan.
Bradford Regional Medical Center has lost approximately $17 million from operations over the past four years. The losses are a function of declining volumes and decreased levels of reimbursement from health insurers and the government. According to Finan, “The ongoing operating losses experienced by the hospital need to end. We find little comfort in the fact that Bradford Regional Medical Center’s financial situation mimics those of many other hospitals throughout Western Pennsylvania and Western New York who have also had to reduce staff. Business as usual no longer works. As challenging as our healthcare environment is, I am confident that the hospital’s financial situation can and will improve significantly as a result of this and other initiatives we intend to pursue.”
“I understand that this reduction in force will be a source of very real sadness and disappointment for our employees. Healthcare workers are family and the bonds between co-workers are very strong. Each of our displaced employees is being treated with respect and dignity and the hospital is committed to assisting them in every possible way regarding potential job placements in other organizations,” said Finan.
Finan noted that the reduction in force is in no way related to Bradford Regional Medical Center’s recent integration with Olean General Hospital as part of the Upper Allegheny Health System. “The integration was formalized just two months ago. The hospital’s financial situation did not just occur. It has been a concern for a significant period of time. To ignore it any longer would be irresponsible.”
