Eleven employees laid off; hours cut for another eight

A total of 11 people were laid off at Powell Valley Healthcare as a result of a reduction in force designed to improve the organization’s bottom line. That includes four who were let go last month.

The layoffs were complete as of Oct. 15, said Bill Patten, chief executive officer at Powell Valley Healthcare.

Nine of the layoffs were employees in full-time positions, one was part time and one was as needed, Patten said.

In addition to the layoffs, eight employees had their hours reduced and nine open positions were eliminated.

Two laid-off employees were recalled later and are now working at the organization again in a different capacity, he said.

Patten told employees he does not anticipate any further layoffs this fiscal year, which ends in June 2013, unless something unforeseen happens.

“No plans are being developed, no lists are being developed, no what ifs are being defined — none,” Patten wrote in an Oct. 15 letter to staff.

The organization currently has 463 employees.

Patten said the reduction in force achieved the stated goal of saving $1.8 million built into this year’s budget.

“Keep in mind, this is not the amount of money we will save this year,” he said in the letter. “This is the salary cost we would have saved if the employee had not been here for the entire year.”

The current fiscal year began July 1.

Moving forward, Patten said, hospital administrators will “aggressively manage” staff positions and requests for increased staff hours in the future to avoid the need for similar reductions of force in the future.

“(We) will look for ways to more efficiently use the staff we currently have,” he said. “That may involve reconfiguring positions or changing job duties, but it will not include further layoffs,” he said.

Patten noted that employees still could be fired for reasons such as not doing a good job, not following policy or for poor interpersonal skills.

Names of people affected by the layoffs generally were withheld. But Patten told employees that physician assistant Lisa Hobby asked that her position be included in the reduction in force.

“I won’t try and explain her reasons, but at her request, she was laid off earlier this month,” he said in the letter. “Some of you may have seen Lisa as a primary care provider, or you may be approached by members of our community who saw Lisa and wonder what has happened to her. Now that you know, you can tell them if asked.”

Patten said Hobby’s patients were part of Dr. Betsy Spomer’s patient panel, with Spomer overseeing their care.

“Dr. Spomer will continue to provide the care these patients need — now, she just won’t have Lisa’s help,” Patten said.

In the letter to staff, Patten said he knows the reduction hasn’t been an easy process, “But I hope you understand that we needed to make these changes in order for PVHC to be financially viable, today and into the future.”