Even with extra funding, many hospitals are having a hard time. Inova Health is laying off more than 400 of its employees. News4’s Jackie Bensen explains which employees are impacted and the tough decision to let them go.
More than 400 employees of the Inova Health System in Virginia will be laid off as hospitals grapple with lost revenue and the high costs of addressing the coronavirus pandemic.
Most of the people laid off are in what the health system describes as non-clinical management positions.
The CEO of Inova Health tells News4 the decision was both painful and necessary.
"And every decision will be made toward us being able to provide care to the patients, so no one should be worried about us not having the people there to take care of you," Inova Health System CEO Dr. Stephen Jones told News4.
The measures and equipment hospitals need to do their jobs right now are costly, and there is no end in sight, Jones told News4 by phone. There is no way to tell exactly when those laid off will be needed in the system again.
Inova says it has more than 18,000 team members.
Hospitals across the U.S. have reported similar layoffs as the treatment load shifts to protecting front line staff and fighting for the lives of those who are critically ill due to coronavirus or other medical conditions.
Health
It’s not clear whether the new, $500 billion relief bill with money for businesses and hospitals prevent more layoffs. That bill was approved by the Senate on Tuesday.
Elective surgeries that are currently on hold make up a huge portion of the income of most hospitals.
