Dallas-based Steward Health Care is informing employees to expect furloughs at its facilities across the U.S. as the system works to overcome the "seismic shock" of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Kaiser Health News.
The health system said it has started a temporary furlough program for some employees of its hospitals in nine states. Most affected staff work in nonclinical jobs.
"While Steward has been on the forefront of responding to this pandemic to protect our patients, staff and physicians, the COVID-19 virus has continued to spread at an unimaginable speed. This has caused additional, unanticipated disruptions in our practices. To put it simply, we are experiencing a seismic shock to our system," Steward Health Care told Becker's Hospital Review.
One of Steward's hospitals, Warren, Ohio-based Trumbull Regional Medical Center, has implemented the furlough program, according to The Vindicator.
The furloughs at Trumbull Regional will begin Thursday. Steward declined to answer questions about how many Trumbull Regional employees will be affected.