Greenville, North Carolina ECU Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system and operator of nine hospitals has announced it is closing multiple regional clinics and an inpatient behavioral health unit after recording $46 million in losses last year.
The closures will impact an unknown number of employees and are expected to be complete by March 2023.
The decision was primarily driven by financial pressures including a disproportionate number of uninsured or underinsured patients as well as labor costs for travel staff.
According to a spokesperson, “ECU Health has given careful consideration to the initial operational adjustments in order to minimize impact to patients and team members. These decisions were made following a detailed review of the patient census, nearby availability of similar services, and staffing realities. Importantly, the health system will work closely with patients to transition care to nearby locations. These adjustments, combined with other cost-saving initiatives, are necessary to respond to the current state of health care across the nation and here in North Carolina."
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?
