“Over the past few weeks, OMC has experienced some challenging times, unprecedented and prolonged changes to how we live and work,” said Ozark Medical Center officials. “As the regional care system for southern Missouri, we are particularly in touch with how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing people’s lives and the life of OMC.”
“Healthcare organizations have a responsibility to the communities we serve. As an organization, OMC has to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Preparing for the worst has consequences; some caused by our actions, but most caused by the world dealing with a pandemic. To look out and not see that even our world around southern Missouri is different, would be to not acknowledge the devastation to small businesses, to families, to individuals that will miss their final semester in high school, to lasting impacts on our communities and even on OMC.”
“The reality of OMC today is vastly different than last month. People are staying at home as they should. We have completely cancelled all non-time sensitive procedures and tests to preserve personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals and to practice social distancing. As a result, OMC’s outpatient and inpatient volumes have declined significantly and across nearly every area.”
To address the changes and to insure OMCs continued ability to care for patients, OMC will implement the following:
- OMC will furlough 114 co-workers including clinical, non-clinical and administrative positions through May 31, 2020.
- Executive and Leadership Salaries will be reduced by 20 percent.
In addition to the steps listed above, OMC will announce additional cost saving measures in the days and weeks to come. We are reviewing every possible expense to insure our ability to continue to care for your neighbors, families and friends. With that said, OMC has been in contact with the United States Department of Agriculture regarding the building expansion project.
“Our goal is to preserve the ability of OMC to care for the communities we serve and to quickly get back to work when this pandemic ends. We hope and pray for our entire OMC family and wish all of you the very best during this unprecedented time.”
