LEWISTON, Maine — Positions are being eliminated, departing employees are not being replaced and layoffs are expected as St. Mary’s Health System undergoes restructuring.
A source said as many as 25 people could be laid off at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, but a spokesman described that number as “fluid.”
Lee Myles, president and CEO of St. Mary’s Health System, released a statement late in the day Thursday to announce the restructuring.
“In order to prepare for health reform and make adjustments for reductions of MaineCare reimbursement, St. Mary’s Health System is undergoing a strategic restructuring,” Myles said in the statement. “As of today, the state owes St. Mary’s $23 million for services provided dating as far back as 2009. Given our current economy and changes in the national health-care structure, we can no longer absorb this outstanding debt. The purpose of restructuring is to reduce operating expenditures while optimizing patient care to meet the future needs of the community.”
According to the statement, hospital administrators are trying to find creative ways to ease the impact of lost jobs and eliminated positions.
“The actual number of impacted people is fluid as we progress through this transformation,” Myles wrote. “The cuts and changes have been thoughtful and targeted rather than a simple workforce reduction. We have not been filling open positions. Wherever possible, we are trying to fill positions with affected employees based on their skills. In the process, some positions are being eliminated entirely and we are losing valued colleagues and friends as a result.”
According to the source, the recent layoffs at the hospital include a woman who has been employed at St. Mary’s for 35 years.
“We realize that change is always difficult,” Myles wrote in the statement, “but it is necessary in order to meet the health needs of our community well into the future.”
Obamacare and the expansion of Medicaid will be killing hospitals and especially rural ones…access to public insurance coverage will be easier but access to care will be harder…hold on to your wallets and stay healthy because this is the begining of the end for health care…and by the way nothing to address the cost drivers will change…as the canadians who fill our stores why they shop here?
But but but…but what about patient safety like at EMMC?!?
As the old lady on the island said when they opened the new health clinic to the reporter who asked how they ever got along without it; WE WUZ CAREFUL!
Nothing to do with this. Get a clue will you!
here we go, we’re all going to have ‘insurance’ now, the problem is there won’t be anywhere to get services….equal misery for all
“While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole
That he’s in.” – B. Dylan
and the dems just keep dragging us further and further into their black hole of egalitarianism
Calm down Jack. Things evolve over time. Even health care. The sky is not falling. Stop hoarding ammo and MREs. Get out and enjoy life a little.
Too bad the State is involved. If a business had a customer that was $23m in arrears, their line of credit would’ve been shut off long ago. Oh well, The new system will clear that all up. Pelosi promised us (before she had even read it).
The debt owed hospitals accrued during the Baldacci era; and current debt is being paid off by the LePage administration, but ‘old’ debt is still outstanding since there are major revenue shortfalls and these hospital cutbacks are a consequence.
They are rippling throughout the state; and the changes in Medicare and Mainecare reimbursement rates will only make matters worse.
Instead of pointing the finger of blame at credit card economics; the best one can do is to stay healthy and lessen the demand for services since all indications are MEDICARE reimbursements are going down, will be curtailed, and coverage restricted. MAINECARE providers will see similar reductions.
I was informed the Obama administration is forcing participation in a cost reduction scheme, by offering financial incentives of up to 2% of reimbursements for participating; and then similar penalties for not participating later on. Sounds counter-intuitive and I heard it second hand; but it’s stuff like this that are forcing providers to opt out of Medicare and MaineCare.
Sorry for the person with 35 years in. Loyalty to the company and hard work mean nothing any more.