Hospitals face tough decisions amid COVID-19 crisis

 

Hospitals all across the nation are facing tough decisions amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Altru Health System, based in Grand Forks, has made significant changes to its operations, including reducing most scheduled surgeries and adjusting clinic operations to ensure safe care environments for patients. With these changes and the greater impact of COVID-19, Altru could face a loss of $65 million this year. The changes include compensation reductions of 30 percent through 2020 for executives and reducing staffing hours.

Dr. Michael LeBeau, who is the President of Sanford Health’s Bismarck campus, says that there is potential for less providers and access in rural North Dakota because of COVID-19.

He says, however, that the state is lucky, as North Dakota’s Medicaid rates have been “relatively healthy,” thanks to the “wisdom of our legislators.”

“It gave everybody a good footing to start this battle,” LeBeau says. “All of us are fighting the same financial difficulties.”