Central Maine Healthcare furloughs 10% of staff because of COVID-19 measures

A hospital complex with a sign that says emerency at the front

Courtesy / CMMC Central Maine Healthcare, based in Lewiston, is furloughing about 10% of its staff to offset reduced revenue.

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By Maureen Milliken

Central Maine Healthcare will furlough about 300 employees — 10% of its staff — beginning Monday, after measures taken to address the COVID-19 outbreak also took a toll on revenue.

The Lewiston-based health care system is preparing for a surge in patients battling the coronavirus, officials said Wednesday in a news release.

To protect the health of other patients, staff and the community, CMH rescheduled elective procedures, surgeries, clinic appointments and office visits, which has decreased revenue. A significant number of patients are using teleheatlh services, which means less traffic at clinics and provider practices.

Meanwhile, the hospital still has patients with acute-care needs, cancer patients who require infusions, babies being born, and other medical demands not related to pandemic. The furloughs — which are temporary unpaid leaves — will allow the health system to better manage cash flow in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, the release said.

"Time-limited cost-saving measures, including furloughs, will make a big difference in helping the system stay on an even keel," system officials said.

Central Maine Healthcare as of Thursday morning has two positive-tested patients at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, and another nine at the hospital “under investigation” pending test results, Kate Carlisle, director of public relations and community affairs, told Mainebiz.

"At CMMC we have created a new 18-bed medical specialty unit for COVID patients and we are planning to create more space within the medical center," she said.

'Immediate economic impact'

“We deeply appreciate and are grateful for the sacrifices of our team members at this difficult time,” said Jeffrey L. Brickman, CEO and president. “Health care organizations everywhere are seeing an immediate economic impact of this pandemic. We needed to act prudently now, to ensure our viability going forward and our growth in a post-COVID future.”

At the state's other major health care systems:

Augusta-based MaineGeneral is not currently furloughing any of its approximately 5,000 employees, according to a spokesperson;
Brewer-based Northern Light has asked some of its 12,000 employees to take a voluntary furlough, according to the Bangor Daily News. A spokesperson told Mainebiz that Paul Bolin, vice president of human resources, is discussing the measure further with the media Friday afternoon;
Portland-based MaineHealth confirmed to the Portland Press Herald Wednesday that it has reduced work hours for some of its staff of 22,000 in Maine and New Hampshire, but prefers not to furlough. "All employees are receiving their full pay and benefits and there have been no layoffs whatsoever, though some are not physically present for as many hours as before at our hospitals and practices and in many cases are awaiting redeployment," a spokesman told Mainebiz.

At Central Maine Healthcare, the furloughs span hospitals, clinics and provider practices, and affect nearly every department. A large number of the furloughed staffers volunteered for the leave, which includes continued health insurance and is not expected to last more than 90 days. In some cases the leaves may be much shorter in duration, the release said.

System officials stressed that the furloughs will not affect CMH’s ability to provide care. Many of the furloughed staffers work in nonclinical areas or support roles. The system has three hospitals — Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, and Bridgton and Rumford hospitals — as well as two urgent care clinics, in Lewiston and Topsham, and a variety of other practices and clinics.

In addition to the furloughs, cost-saving measures include several temporary practice consolidations or reduced hours. Senior executives, including the CEO, are taking pay cuts for the duration of the crisis, and other leaders are deferring some compensation, the release said. The health care system has also redeployed people to other areas of the system through a talent pool created by the human resources department.