MIDDLETOWN- Garnet Health has announced that in response to operating losses, the healthcare provider has laid of 49 employees, including 25 leaders. According to a release, this represents 1.13 percent of the workforce and totals $13 million in salary and benefits.
“It is with a heavy heart that this decision had to be made,” said Jonathan Schiller, President & CEO for Garnet Health. “We tried hard to avoid a layoff. Unfortunately, a fair and honest response to the health system’s operating losses required an adjustment to the size of our workforce.”
Garnet cited the rising cost of supplies and equipment, the high cost of temporary labor, continuing low payor reimbursements, and a decrease in patient volumes and revenue as the reasons for the layoff. These factors are not unique to Garnet, and are impacting health systems across the country and officials at Garnet believe the workforce adjustment is necessary for the organization’s long-term financial stability.
According to the release the staff reductions within the system include 40 eliminated positions at Garnet Health Medical Center’s Middletown campus, five eliminated positions across Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills’ Harris and Callicoon campuses and four eliminated positions throughout Garnet Health Doctors locations.
