Penn Highlands Healthcare furloughs nearly 600 employees amid COVID-19 crisis: Officials

DUBOIS, Pa. (WJAC) — Penn Highlands Healthcare will furlough nearly 600 employees due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Wednesday.

Chief Operating Officer Mark Norman said the move comes after a decline in visits and revenue.

Norman said the furloughs include:

Penn Highlands DuBois: 338 employees

Penn Highlands Huntingdon: 66 employees

Penn Highlands Elk: 65 employees

Penn Highlands Clearfield: 43 employees

Penn Highlands Brookville: 24 employees

Norman says 49 employees from the corporate office will also be furloughed.

“This was a difficult decision to make, but if we did not take meaningful and decisive action, the long-term viability of our health system is at risk,” said Penn Highlands Healthcare CEO Steven Fontaine. “I hope we will be able to recall many of these affected workers once the pandemic subsides and volumes increase.

“We are very fortunate that we have not seen a surge of COVID-19 related cases in the Penn Highlands Healthcare system,” stated Fontaine, “but as our patients shelter in place we have seen dramatic reductions in daily patient volumes across our hospitals and physician offices and we must adjust staffing accordingly.”

Officials stress that Penn Highlands Healthcare’s five hospitals will remain open for patients.

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