By Mike Ricketts, Times-Mail
miker@tmnews.com
BEDFORD - Dunn Memorial Hospital reduced its staff this week, according to a Dunn hospital official and a county commissioner on Friday afternoon.
Jeni Embree, chief clinical officer at the hospital, said balancing staff to volume of business in the varying departments is something the hospital "has been doing over time."
"There were a minimal amount of positions that were decreased," Embree said. But she refused to say exactly how many.
County Commissioner Bill Spreen said county officials and hospital staff have known for a while that some areas in the hospital were overstaffed. And that fact was reiterated by a study that was done of hospital staffing within the past three months.
"With these economic times, we had to look at getting a little leaner," Spreen said. "I knew there was going to be slight reductions in bodies, but not a large amount. I think they were going to try to do some of it by attrition."
Embree said the hospital is always looking to make sure the facility is properly staffed and make changes as they are needed. Dunn employs about 400 full time.
Embree said, as would any business, Dunn must evaluate staffing in comparison to business.
"As business shifts, volume changes and we need to make appropriate shifts with staffing," she added.
In regard to future reduction in employees, Embree said staffing levels will continue to be monitored closely.
"We will continue to staff to our volume and adjust our staffing," she said. "That's something we will always do."
Dunn is a county-governed facility, to which Embree stressed the importance.
"We have to be fiscally accountable because we're a county entity," Embree said.
On March 17, the county commissioners voted 2-1 to clear the way for Dunn to seek a bond issue not to exceed $8 million to restructure debt and maybe renovate the emergency room. With the county's approval, it means, if Dunn is unable to repay the bond, additional property tax levies would be assessed to county property taxpayers. Commissioners Spreen and David Flinn voted in favor of the action. Commissioner Chris May voted against it.
The Lawrence County Council, by a 6-1 vote, OK'd a resolution to create the Lawrence County Hospital Association, an earlier step necessary to get to this point.
Also, Dunn Memorial Hospital remains in lease talks with St. Vincent that began Jan. 30.
Spreen said officials from St. Vincent have been to Dunn recently and "due diligence" to work out a lease continues.