PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -
CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh announces layoffs Wednesday. The hospital employs around 2,300 people.
And Wednesday, a big announcement was made, "It's been something that's been very painful but necessary," said President,
In all 17 positions have been eliminated. President Stephens Mundy says the current economy and a loss of revenue around 400 thousand dollars made the cuts a reality.
"It's a tough economy out there for everyone and we're struggling as any other organization and we are a non-profit organization but that doesn't mean that we operate on a loss."
Mundy says the medical center tried to ensure that less staff and more management positions were eliminated, "We spent a lot of time over the past several months looking throughout the organization and trying to make sure that we did it in a way that really protected the caregivers at the bedside."
Five percent of managers and less than one half percent of hourly staff members were cut. A number that could have been greater if not for a 3.2 million dollar federal grant awarded to the hospital.
"If we hadn't have had that thing we probably we'd probably have lost three and a half (million) so far," said Mundy.
Those 17 staffers will receive severance pay and health insurance through the end of the year, along with help in finding other employment.
