Campbell County Health to Implement Cost Reduction Measures

GILLETTE, WY – Campbell County Health (CCH) is implementing multiple cost reduction measures in response to the significant financial pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our preparations for COVID-19 response and the decrease in services like elective surgeries and outpatient procedures have decreased our revenue by over 50%, and decreased our cash reserves to a level that is very concerning,” said CEO Andy Fitzgerald. “We need to take measures now in order to continue to provide healthcare to our community in the short term and remain financially viable moving forward. We are also taking these actions so we can continue to provide a high level of care to address this crisis.”

CCH Administration prepared the plan to ensure the long-term viability of the Campbell County Memorial Hospital. The Board of Trustees has been informed of the Administration’s plan of action for hospital preservation and delivery of care. The cost reduction measures include:

• A 50% pay cut for the CEO through the end of the Fiscal Year
• A 20% pay cut for Senior Management through the end of the Fiscal Year
• A 5% pay cut for Directors and Managers through the end of the Fiscal Year
• Restructure of some departments and staff positions
• All leadership positions are required to take one PTO day (day off) per pay period until June 30, 2020
• A freeze on capital expenditures through the end of the Fiscal Year
• Temporary furloughs for some departments and employees. These employees would keep their benefits and be brought back to work within six to 12 weeks.
• Mandatory hourly reductions across most departments
• A freeze on educational travel through the end of the year

“We recognize that this will impact our employees who have been working tirelessly to prepare our organization for this pandemic and keep our community safe and healthy,” said CEO Andy Fitzgerald. “These actions are the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my over 30 years of working in healthcare. I have said throughout this crisis that we are all in this together, and we’ve tried to spread the impact of these cost reductions over the whole organization. I am so proud of our employees, providers and community for the way they have responded, and I know their courage and strength will continue as we work through this.”

“It is never easy to make these kinds of decisions, and we understand the personal impact these cost containment measures have on the professionals who provide excellent healthcare every day,” said Ian Swift, MD, CCH Board of Trustees Chairman. “We will be looking to our legislative delegation and the State of Wyoming to assist the hospital with CARE Act funding to preserve the level of care in the community and to mitigate these healthcare hardships.”

The cost reduction measures will begin to be implemented next week.