Geisinger Wilkes Barre to cut up to 400

WILKES-BARRE – The 800 employees at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre hospital were told Thursday that up to half of them will have to find another job by September.

The hospital’s announcement followed weeks of rumors of a big announcement that had circulated through the halls of the former Mercy Hospital. Rose Simchick, head of the Service Employees International Union Local 1199, said she wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the announcement.

“What I’m hearing is worse than I expected,” said Simchick, a 37-year hospital employee from Hanover Township. She said she and the rest of the union members were still digesting the news.

Department managers were informed of the decision Thursday morning and held staff meetings throughout the day. A union meeting is scheduled for Tuesday to discuss the layoffs.

Letters were mailed to all workers, telling them they were keeping their jobs or would have no position come September. The cuts will impact nearly all types of positions, except for doctors. Some members of the nursing, support staff and transportation departments are among those expected to lose their jobs.

Deb Bonn, an operating room nurse at the hospital the past 29 years, found the news “very disturbing.”

“We’re very disappointed by this announcement and deeply concerned about the impact Geisinger’s plans will have not just on us and our families, but on our patients and the entire community,” Bonn said.

Eugene Ginley, an inventory management assistant with 29 years of service, said he couldn’t see how the hospital will be able to function properly with such a drastic cut.

The decision was not something made lightly, according to Dr. Steven B. Pierdon, chief medical officer for Geisinger Northeast. He said Geisinger Health System has been looking at evolving its operations since purchasing the former Mercy Hospital in 2005. Geisinger looked at what was offered at South Wilkes-Barre’s sister hospital – Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, which is seven miles away in Plains Township – and a decision was made to house ambulatory and short-stay patients at the South Wilkes-Barre facility. Essentially, the South Wilkes-Barre campus will be for outpatient and short-term stays only.

“Geisinger Wyoming Valley will really focus on high-end tertiary and quaternary type health care services. Things such as cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery and transplants,” Pierdon said.

The result is less need for staff, since there will be fewer long-term patients housed in South Wilkes-Barre.

Geisinger President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Glenn Steele Jr. said, “Hospitals, and more importantly how patients use them, are changing.”

“Advances in technology allow patients to go home sooner, avoiding overnight hospital stays unless they are severely ill,” Steele said. “Today, most people don’t need long hospital stays and many surgeries are performed in convenient, accessible same-day settings. To respond effectively, we must align our resources and establish new models of care that meet these needs.”

Dr. Alfred Casale, Geisinger Northeast’s associate chief medical officer, said the company has invested $14 million into the South Wilkes-Barre campus in the last three years. He said there are no plans to close the facility, but by making the decision to reorganize the hospital’s services, both Geisinger campuses in Luzerne County will operate much more efficiently and have bright futures. He said there are no plans to eliminate the emergency room in either facility and each campus will serve to complement each other.

Dr. Justin Matus, assistant professor of business administration and chairman of the business division in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership at Wilkes University, follows the health care industry and tried to digest what the announcement means.

“Obviously, the immediate economic impact on the laid-off employees is tremendous and cannot be ignored. These people will need job placement services, perhaps retraining, et cetera, and their personal situations are very, very unfortunate. On the other hand, if these changes can reallocate precious health care resources in a way that will improve efficiency and quality, it would be hard to argue against it.” Matus said.

He said he is not surprised by Geisinger’s announcement, but by its magnitude.

“Short-term, this announcement presents challenging decisions for Geisinger and our people,” said Lissa Bryan-Smith, chief administrative officer of Geisinger Northeast. “Long-term, this is the right model of care to pursue in Northeast Pennsylvania because it addresses an issue that every hospital across the nation is grappling with. We will do everything we can to help our people get through this time.”

Geisinger is working on severance packages for full-time workers and will take into account time worked while the facility was called Mercy Hospital. Job fairs and career counselors will be offered to staff members. There is a chance up to 140 of the workers will be able to find jobs across the Geisinger Health System, where that many positions are open or expected to be available by September.

Bonn, holding back tears as she stood in front of the hospital, said the staff members are more than co-workers. “They’re our family. I worked alongside these people for almost 30 years. I grew up with them.”

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Thomas M. Leighton said he feels for the workers and their families.

“It’s going to be very difficult for those 400 people. It’s a tough day for the city of Wilkes-Barre,” Leighton said, adding that though the news saddened him it could have been worse.

“I’m very thankful not all of the jobs were lost and the hospital’s doors will stay open,” Leighton said. “That’s a huge silver lining. Had they closed, that would have been devastating.”

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