AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT POST ACUTE SPECIALTY HOSPITAL OF MILWAUKEE

Post Acute Specialty Hospital of Milwaukee has announced that it will be permanently closing their 62-bed facility in Greenfield, Wisconsin. According to a WARN notice filed with the State of Wisconsin, there will be 172 layoffs, which includes 35 administrative positions, 114 clinical services positions, 8 maintenance positions, and 15 dietary positions.

According to the company, the decision was “largely related to dramatic changes designed to substantially limit the type of patients who could be treated in long-term acute hospitals.” The facility is owned and operated by Enola, Pennsylvania-based Post Acute Medical, LLC which operates a network of operates a network of specialty and rehabilitation facilities across eight states.

In long term acute care facilities, patients receive specialized medical care after spending time in an acute care hospital but require continued longer-term care than that usually provided by the hospital. In an effort to reduce the costs of healthcare, critics of LTAC (Long Term Acute Care) facilities claim that they are not a medical necessity and argue that patients can receive equal or better care in SNFs (Skilled Nursing Facilities) or by better utilization of home health care agencies. So, it should come as no surprise that insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid, and state-paid programs would seek lower-cost solutions.

For those interested in the latest trend of changing the payment models for LTACs which will surely result in more closures and layoffs, you may wish to read Working Paper 24946, Long Term Care Hospitals: A Case Study in Waste, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT KROGER

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger, the largest supermarket chain by revenue, has announced the closure of its 190,000-square-foot building Columbus, Ohio bakery and the layoff of 411 workers.

The decision appears to have been based on an aging facility first opened in 1928.

A Kroger spokesperson noted, “After evaluation of the equipment and layout of the plant, it became clear that the outdated layout and age of the equipment were no longer sustainable for us to remain competitive.

Production at the plant will cease immediately and the process of decommissioning its operations is expected to take 60 – 90 days. To keep competitive with the markets nowadays, we have to make some tough decisions.

Workers will be paid for 60 days before receiving severance based on years of service per their collective bargaining agreement with the company.” The property will be sold and the work transitioned to other facilities or farmed out to third-party contract bakers.

There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT CUMBERLAND RIVER HOSPITAL

Celina, Tennessee-based Cumberland River Hospital has announced that it will be closing its medical facility and laying off the entire staff of 146 employees. Cumberland CEO Paul Korth explained, "It is with deep regret that we have to make this announcement. We have worked diligently to avoid closing Cumberland River Hospital but have been unable to successfully arrange any other option. The decision to close CRH has been made following years of insufficient revenue resulting in significant financial losses from declining reimbursements and declining patient volumes.”

There is little doubt that the community has suffered a major loss as “Cumberland River Hospital has been serving its community since 1965 and provides emergency and acute care services along with home healthcare in ten counties. In addition Cumberland River provides geriatric psychiatric care that includes an 8-bed inpatient unit offering emotional and behavioral health services for older adults. The hospital also houses a skilled nursing program to facilitate skilled rehabilitation care following illness or injury. Outpatient services include diagnostic medical imaging (x-ray, computerized tomography, ultrasound), diagnostic laboratory services, respiratory care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.”

There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?