POLSON – Ten employees of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson were laid off this week due to a serious budget shortfall.
Chief Executive Officer James Kiser tells the Missoulian the employees were notified of the layoffs Wednesday and Friday was their last day.
Kiser says charity care has increased 25 percent, bad debt nearly doubled from last year to about $1 million and the hospital is performing fewer inpatient procedures.
Kiser says the hospital first cut $365,000 by scrutinizing spending and leaving some jobs unfilled, but revenues were still $222,000 behind budget in September.
The positions cut were non-clinical staff including a certified nurse’s assistant, executive assistant, pharmacist, transcription and dietary supervisor.
The hospital is Polson’s largest private employer, with 233 employees. Its annual operating budget is $34 million.