Officials at BJC Medical Center are couching the Jan. 15 layoffs of 45 employees as difficult but necessary adjustments to assure the survival of the hospital and nursing home in a weak economy.
“There is no easy way to explain or to try to paint a pretty picture about what happened last week,” conceded Charles Blair, who chairs the facility’s governing authority.
The layoffs, 75-80 percent of which were termed “managerial” and 20-25 percent “clinical,” are expected — in conjunction with scheduling changes and elimination of overtime — to save about $2 million a year, according to Ray Leadbetter, the facility’s interim chief financial officer, who predicted that the facility could be “very close to running in the black” by the end of February.
“Guys, it’s like this all over society,” added member Jimmy Hooper concerning the layoffs. “I’ve seen grown men crying, throwing up their hands and slamming doors. It’s dire out there.”
“The initiative is to reduce our operating expenditures by an amount equal to 20 percent of our expenditures for the first six months of the year,” explained CEO Jim Yarborough. He called the experience “the most difficult time in my 30 years” and said the decisions “were the most difficult I’ve ever had to make.”
It was more difficult for employees, most of whom had no warning until they were summoned to meetings attended by Leadbetter, Marilyn Anglin, director of human resources; and their department manager. Leadbetter explained the reason for the layoffs, employees were handed a severance notice and a last paycheck, informed of the potential for filing for unemployment compensation, told to turn their badges in and escorted out of the facility.
No severance packages were offered.
Senior management met with all department managers to determine how to achieve the 20 percent cost reduction “with minimal or no impact on the quality of service,” Yarborough said.
“Our volumes, patient visits, admissions, radiology procedures, lab procedures, etc., are down,” the CEO continued. “When you look at the downturn in the overall work load, we should be able to do that work with less people.
“We focused on the expenses of each department, and of course a big part of the expense is always staff, so staff is a big part of the reduction. I can’t overemphasize how difficult the decisions have been.”
Management had been on four-day weeks (with commiserate reduction in pay) since August, said Henry Slocum, among those laid off in spite of 48 years of service with the hospital.
Other measures aimed at reducing costs or increasing income were also instituted or being considered.
The facility implemented a “point of service” collection system designed to trim bad debt in the emergency room that Leadbetter estimates will improve cash flow by $300,000 annually. It terminated some contracts and entered others, has begun serious discussions with a firm to get a “temporary general surgeon,” one of the key vacant staff positions; and is considering the creation of an acute/urgent care clinic to provide an alternative to the emergency room for non-emergency care.
At Monday’s meeting, the board voted to give its finance and credentials committees the authority to act if the company’s prospect for the general surgeon accepts the job. Officials have asked for historical data on surgeries, numbers on out-migration of patients to other hospitals and toured the available offices.
“I think this holds a lot of promise,” said Charles Blair, chairman.
According to a news release, last year BJC Medical Center provided more than $1.3 million in charity care and had bad debts of more than $5 million - and the trends are worsening.
your comment. I do agree with you on that; yes there are
several local businesses that are having to make tough
decisions. However, when they lay off their employees do
they have the Commerce police present to escort employees
off the premesis? I agree with Steve about finding another
hospital in life treatening situations especially since
the facility does not have a general surgeon.
YOU very well know what that poster is saying.
Your comment could have gone without saying.
As if there isn't enough people hurting over the loss of their jobs and then you have to remark about someone's punctuation!
Get a life!
Furthermore, after reading most of these comments, I could see that most people are missing the main reason of the current economical and health care crises that includes a layoffs at BJC hospital. The bottom line is this: the receding ocean of cash has begun revealing the most crippling imperfections on the bottom of the economy. Specifically, with the way our health care delivery is set up more and more people every day will become increasingly more vulnerable to a complete financial doom. Our elected government will simply fail to “bail out” or assist our already weakened rural hospitals and clinics. This is already happening across the nation and the trend will exacerbate over time. On the contrarily to our media’s propaganda, the US health care industry is NOT a “safe heaven” during this type of economy. It is this simple: when people lose their jobs, they lose their health insurance and, therefore, doctors and nurses will lose insurance checks. Since the insurance companies corrupted health care and made current health care prices to rocket out of the tangible realm, majority of the Americans WILL not be able to afford even one trip to the Emergency Room. Since rural hospitals like BJC provide care to patients the majority of whom are poor (politically correct turn indigenous or financially burdened) and our government is running low on cash and other help, the disaster of unimaginable proportions is brewing to happen rather sooner than later. Therefore, my advice to all of you is to stop wasting your time on writing these useless comments to yourselves and call your congressmen or, even better, our president and demand a bail-out funds for our health care and ALL falling hospitals. The next step – fire the board of directors...
HELL !!!
The article was full of misinformation, which has become par for the course from Mr. Yarborough. Most of the cuts were in Pt. care areas such and Nurses and CNA's. The pt. load has gone from about 6-7 pt's per nurse to 14 for an LPN, Charge nurse and one CNA. If you know anything about pt. care, you know that is an accident waiting to happen. I feel for those who are still there and have to work providing sub-par care to the pt's.
I am expecting the next article about the hospital to announce the closing.
The mis-management of funds within the facilty is the reason
BJC is circling the drain! Mis-managent of funds by the administration that are STILL employeed by BJC!
God bless the families who were affected by this layoff. You're in our prayers. Maybe you can look at it as being the first group in the lifeboats on the Titanic.
employees suffered an anurysum this year her job was
posted 5 days before her passing, while she laid in her
hospital bed dying and she was only out of work for a
week when they decided to replace her in the O.R. .
I am sorry that you feel the police escort was necessary. I, for one, was too numb to even think about going postal on anyone. I was in total shock, even though somehow I knew it was coming. Now I am having a difficult time explaining to potential employers why, after all of the time I had in, was I one to be let go. I have no answer because there seems to be no rhyme of reason to who was picked and who was left. I have been labeled as "one of those people." I wander if you will still have the same attitude when it is your turn to go to the big meeting in the conference room.
Please atleast "man up" and be honest. The citizens of
Banks and Jackson counties deserve to know the truth.
Your statement "The layoffs were across the board in the hospital and nursing facility, but most heavily in administrative roles, as opposed to patient care" was FAR from the truth! Focusing on
"most heavily in administrative roles, as opposed to patient care".
Please tell me the last time one of your administrative staff
members bathed a patient, administered medication, provided
post operative care or ran a code in the ER? My suggestion would be for your "administrative team" to trade in those suits and ties and
high heels for SCRUBS! The truth of the matter is that you and your "administrative staff" made the decision to have most of your QUALITY "patient care team" escorted out by Jackson County
Deputies on Thursday! The nerve of you to treat these people like common criminals when some of them have be dedicated employessof BJC longer than you have been employeed there! NO RESPECT, but I guess that'd be asking to much of you! Hmmm...It'd be interesting to know how much BJC paid those officers to "hang out" for the day? Whether you admit it or not, there is
absolutely no way your facility can provide SAFE patient care
with the staff you have left...even IF your administrative staff
owned a set of scrubs! GOD be with you! And Just out of curosity, I don't recall hearing that you showed your face in any of the
termination meetings!
What is being done other than terminating staff?
I agree that they should have at least treated those laid off like fellow human beings. Layoffs happen in bad economies, but treating people like this is reprehensible and inexcusable. You can treat someone with respect even if hard times have forced you to make the decision to let them go. Any company that treats people the way BJC has in this issue deserves to go out of business. A hospital that treats people like this is of no value to the community in my opinion.
When the firing party begain it was out of order just calling up folks a few at a time .A stranger was their to stripe us of our jods,the people that was familar such as Maura Cobb & Marilyn Anglin made no eye contact ,no small talk.We were told our department manager choose the one that were to be released from duty .Why were'nt they in their to say good-bye thanks for your years of service.I did not even get a "I'm sorry or any thing to lighten the event it was robotic.We should have been treated better called up by department with our managers their.We did 'nt have time to say goodbye to our friend and co -worker we left a patient case load 1/2 a shifts worth of paper work that was'nt charted.I left a paitent's room saying I will be right back when reciving a phone call @ the desk I did'nt go back to MY paitents room nor did I give a chance to give report to some one else to let them know what they needed.That paitent remembers my name ,how do you think that person felt when their are left waiting on someone to return to help them with a need. How is this customer service It ended so quickly it was just plain wrong to be treated that way ,just plain wrong!!!
them go. They have always been nice to me and my family.
If the upper management had no better way to handle this
maybe they should have been the ones to leave. They are
the ones who make more money then the ones let go. Think
folks. BJC will no longer have my service.
Those of you that wear your pretty little dresses, high heels and suits should have been the ones to be let go first because it's very OBVIOUS your the ones not doing your jobs.
And, to let both a husband and wife go, HOW PATHETIC CAN YOU GET THAT IS ABOVE SORRINESS, AND HEARTLESS!! FIRE ALL THE ADMINISTRTORS AND BIG WIGS AND BJC WILL BE SAVED!!!!
Rain always spoils a sonny day things change.Good people were leaving folks were becoming bitter and seemingly uncaring,no team work every one just for them self.The co-workers I thought so highly of let me down hard and turned their back to me when I was in need of support more than ever.It broke my spirit and changed the way I felt about my job and the people I shared my day with the passtion I once had has slipped away.
I am not bitter for being "Let Go!" I knew if ever was a list my name was surely on it.I had the oppertunity to clear my mind and spoke freely of my hurt feelings on the subject and quite possiably burt a few bridges in the process.I am relieved in many ways,I was unaware of my misery till I was released from it.It was hurtful to be treated the way we were by Maura, and the other firing squad members and for that moment becoming a nobody or a number.It just provided proof of a lost place,I once held so dear,and turning into a spitful bitter place to work.And I am glad to no longer be among some not all of the most 2-faced, hurtful people I have ever known and onced loved.
No, I would not call my self a" Weak Link" just a dim broken spirit. But I now have peace in my heart and the understanding value of true friendship and a knowledge to better judge people.So I want be made to feel that way again by in human being in any possition, EVER!!! Always a friend to one whom is in need.
Gail B. Pierce
Like I said before I poured more of my self into the place than I will ever get back and I am not bitter on being released and I don't care for your comments that you have no proof of ,or the guts to state your name that makes you a coward! If I had to pick I would much rather be a weak link than a gutless nobody , whom if your opinion mattered it would be worth to be reconized by applying your name. So bite me and ride the slow flush all the way down my friend,and thanks you made my day,Always smiles Gail.
All we can do is pray that no one in this community feels as if they are in that desperate of a situation.
Great new logo,same old hospital.
Rule #2: If the community doesn't support the hospital, it will close.
Missed opportunities to support the hospital include:
1. Everyone with insurance going to Athens or Gainesville.
2. Voting down the bond issue to help BJC rebuild on
donated land.
3. The community badmouthing BJC irresponsibly for decades.
In this previous resident's opinion, y'all are all reaping what you've sewn for years. Blame no one but yourselves.