Nearly 900 of Lee Health's 14,500 employees are voluntarily taking summer sabaticals or leaving their jobs permanently through a workforce reduction plan that was announced by health system officials in May.
The plan comes as a way to mitigate operating losses amid the coronavirus pandemic. The News-Press reports that Lee Health estimates it will lose between $50 and $75 million dollars by the end of its fiscal year September 30th.
Lee Health isn't alone. The American Hospital Association estimates that acute-care facilities nationwide are suffering short-term losses totaling nearly $203 billion dollars for the period from March first to July first of this year.
Contributing to the lost revenue is the stop that was put on elective surgeries at the beginning of the pandemic; increased costs of providing personal protective equipment and other needed supplies and equipment; and fewer people going to the hospital to seek non-COVID-related medical treatment.
The NCH Healthcare System in Collier County projects $55 million dollars in losses by the end of the fiscal year. Back in April, NCH executive leadership took a 10% pay cut and made staffing adjustments that resulted in some workers losing hours.