In a bombshell that has been circulating in rumor mills among the community the last several days, Adena Health confirmed on Friday that they will be furloughing staff later this month.
The reduction in employees comes at a time amid the COVID-19 outbreak, which the health-care organization says is to blame.
The reduction is being called “temporary furloughs,” said CEO Jeff Graham.
“We will not make any decisions that will negatively impact our frontline caregivers or patients.”
The number of employees impacted, which departments or areas, and the date it is expected to happen was not immediately shared. He did say, however, it would likely take place later in April.
Graham said a furlough is not a lay-off and that those who are impacted will return to work eventually, that they will be eligible for unemployment, and that they will continue to receive health benefits.
The hospital CEO said that the reduction in elective surgeries and the cancellation of many appointments are the reason to blame. He said that with those factors and more combined, the income for Adena is reduced, which hurts their payroll abilities.
“We should all be prepared this could take several months,” he said. “Please know, we are doing our best to make difficult decisions and to operate the only way we know how: honestly and transparently.”
With more than 3,000 employees, Adena serves as an economic catalyst for the region. Adena offers patients services in the areas of heart health, cancer diagnosis and treatment, women’s health, children’s health, and orthopedics.
Their footprint in Southern Ohio is in more than six counties, which includes three hospitals (Chillicothe, Waverly, and Greenfield) and six regional clinics, with a total of 311 beds.
