On Friday, Sarasota Memorial Hospital announced it will furlough some workers and reduce hours for others due to a "sudden and drastic drop in patient volumes and revenues."
"This was an extremely difficult decision, and one that we did not make lightly," CEO David Verinder said in a letter to employees. "Staff have gone above and beyond to care for our patients throughout this crisis, even as they have been anxious about the health and well-being of themselves and their families.
The hospital also implemented a hiring freeze as a result of the drop in revenues.
According to officials, Sarasota Memoria Hospital experienced a $16 million reduction in revenue in March. After non-emergency procedures were canceled due to the pandemic, surgery cases fell by more than 50 percent and the hospital saw a 30-percent drop on the number of inpatients, according to the press release.
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