Vanderbilt Hospital layoffs today

[Sam1]

Had an appointment today down at the hospital and there was a bunch of people walking around with boxes and crying.  Asked the receptionist what was going on and she said that Vandy had laid off a couple hundred people today, and there was supposed to be more cuts coming.

 

Searched around and didn't see this anywhere on the news, anyone know more about what is going on up there?  It's not over the ACA kicking in is it?

[Guest nra37922]

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has put a number on the total layoffs expected at the organization by year's end: 1,033. The cuts are starting today with "several hundred" employees, according to spokesman John Howser and a filing with the state.

The cuts, which will impact all levels of the organization, are part of Vanderbilt's ongoing effort to plug a $250 million revenue hole by the end of fiscal year 2015, driven by federal reimbursement and research cuts, coupled with the state's decision to not expand Medicaid.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2013/09/vandy-puts-number-on-layoffs---1033--.html

[npgunner]

True story. Here's a news story on it from Nashville Business Journal.
http://m.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2013/09/vandy-puts-number-on-layoffs---1033--.html?r=full
I work in a hospital not VU affiliated but REALLY close and with a lot of VU docs. Overheard today that more layoffs are coming in the next few days also. Went to the VU caf today and noticed a lot of extra security for the layoffs.

There a several schools of thoughts on the issue. 1.) VU runs a budget that includes a lot of administrators whose jobs could easily be combined into 1 position. 2.) The ongoing sequester cut a bunch of research dollars, and thus people are blaming academic center layoffs on that. 3.) Some people in TN think VU is doing it as a power play to force/punish Haslam for his decision NOT to participate in ACA exchanges. 4.) Much the same idea as #2 except for because of the ACA.

I used to work for VU for many years, and I'm sure many of these people losing there jobs are valuable employees who have put in there time. With that being said, after working at many other hospitals since my time there, VU does seem to have a lot of people on payroll where other places of similarity don't. I'm also sure the ACA and sequester are contributing to the financial short comings of the medical center also.

With all this being said, many other large academic medical centers (Emory, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo) are all facing the same situation so the entire answer likely does not rest in the local healthcare market. (Long winded way to blame ACA).

[gregintenn]

My wife works there, and was told the lady over her supervisor was let go this morning with no warning, and escorted out by police.

[npgunner]

Dang ... NRA beat me to the post button.

[Mike.357]

My wife works there, and was told the lady over her supervisor was let go this morning with no warning, and escorted out by police.

 

it seems cold hearted, not sure about a police escort but in the past I have let people go and had them escorted out by security.

 

You don't give early notice that you are wacking someone.  You don't let them finish the day or week, even letting them back to their work area might be asking for trouble.  

 

Sucks but it is how it is done.

[Chris]

Sucks but it is how it is done.

 

Truth.

[gregintenn]

it seems cold hearted, not sure about a police escort but in the past I have let people go and had them escorted out by security.

 

You don't give early notice that you are wacking someone.  You don't let them finish the day or week, even letting them back to their work area might be asking for trouble.  

 

Sucks but it is how it is done.

Oh, I didn't mean to imply they did anything wrong, I was just adding what little I knew about the subject.

 

I believe Vanderbilt employs their own police/security. I expect it was that rather than metro cops or something.

Edited September 18, 2013 by gregintenn

[DaveS]

There are layoffs every where right now. It's getting bad folks!

 

DaveS

[UncleJak]

I know a doctor who works there. He said people were being let go and told it was poor performance. These are employees that always had great reviews prior to this. If you're gonna can someone, don't make excuses...just do it. It irritates me that they try to make the employees look bad just to "justify" letting them go. Especially when everyone knows the truth.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[TripleDigitRide]

I know a doctor who works there. He said people were being let go and told it was poor performance. These are employees that always had great reviews prior to this. If you're gonna can someone, don't make excuses...just do it. It irritates me that they try to make the employees look bad just to "justify" letting them go. Especially when everyone knows the truth.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

Sounds like a stunt to get out of paying unemployment.

[UncleJak]

Sounds like a stunt to get out of paying unemployment.

that's exactly what it is. No other reason.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[Mike.357]

Oh, I didn't mean to imply they did anything wrong, I was just adding what little I knew about the subject.

 

I believe Vanderbilt employs their own police/security. I expect it was that rather than metro cops or something.

 

 

I know you did not mean anything.  

 

It is never a good time when people lose their livelihood.

[Randall53]

I really hate to hear this. Especially in todays economy. The days of finding a job with the same pay is hard to do.  It's also hard on those that stay.  Their work load will increase, you can bet your sweet bippy on that.

[bersaguy]

There will be more folks unemployed then employed by years end or there will be more part time people working then ever before in this country's history...........jmho    I heard on Fox today that many large corporations are cutting everyone's hours back and many of them hiring to begin second and third shift all with part time people. The Oil companies are all cutting back and going to the part time programs so no telling what is going to happen to fuel costs. All I can say is the man promised change and he is keeping his word. I hope everyone that voted for him is happy. That is all I'm going to say on this cause any more and I will get booted off the site.

[TrickyNicky]

That's right Randall, the work load increases and the employee moral go down the tubes at the same time. Vandy has a long reputation it has built over many years for top notch care and service. Wonder how long it takes for that care and service to also go down the tubes?

Can't wait for the real punch line to this sick joke to drop. Once the people who thought they were signing on for free qualitty healthcare realize they really signed up for over priced crap.

Hang onto your hats guys, this is just the beginning.

[Erik88]

it seems cold hearted, not sure about a police escort but in the past I have let people go and had them escorted out by security.

 

You don't give early notice that you are wacking someone.  You don't let them finish the day or week, even letting them back to their work area might be asking for trouble.  

 

Sucks but it is how it is done.

 

We had the director of zero harm(safety) get canned last year. Ironically he apparently made some remarks that justified having armed guards outside our building for a few days.

[Tempest455]

My wife works there and said it's around (or going to be) 1,000 total.

[bersaguy]

Well Vandy was the number 1 trauma center in nashville and middle tennessee and all ambuances where ordered to take all trauma patients to vandy. I wonder if they will still be able to hand;e that kind of case load. What will happen if ( God help us it doesn't) there is a shooting or disaster like that and vandy doesn't have the staff to handle it? I know my doctor pulled out of there over a year ago as her hospital to send her patients to and moved to Centennial as her hospital of choice. She has a private practice and only makes rounds if she has a few patients in there. I think she may have seen this coming and bailed with time to spare.

[Sam1]

My wife works there, and was told the lady over her supervisor was let go this morning with no warning, and escorted out by police.

 

That was the other thing, it looked like they were under a threat or something with all of the LEO's there.  Pretty brutal situation imho

[Sam1]

That's right Randall, the work load increases and the employee moral go down the tubes at the same time. Vandy has a long reputation it has built over many years for top notch care and service. Wonder how long it takes for that care and service to also go down the tubes?

Can't wait for the real punch line to this sick joke to drop. Once the people who thought they were signing on for free qualitty healthcare realize they really signed up for over priced crap.

Hang onto your hats guys, this is just the beginning.

 

 

Whole thing is upsetting and the only person I know there is Trevor from the board here.  only a few of them will be able to find jobs and the holidays are right around the corner.  Hope something changes for them real quick like.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Vandy isn't alone, at all, with the layoffs. The good news is that there are jobs for nurses, still out there, just that

this trend is likely to continue. Job cuts, that is. ST.Thomas came out and said it was due to Obamacare, and is still

letting people go. It will continue, folks.

[npgunner]

I know a doctor who works there. He said people were being let go and told it was poor performance. These are employees that always had great reviews prior to this. If you're gonna can someone, don't make excuses...just do it. It irritates me that they try to make the employees look bad just to "justify" letting them go. Especially when everyone knows the truth.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

My understanding is that the layoffs of the past few months were those with poor performance. The ones that began today and will continue through the week are "reduction of force" or "restructuring" layoffs. Those laid off today and tomorrow will be given pay/benefits for 60 days and a pay out for years of service. I believe the poor performance lay offs are complete and this and future layoffs will be bottom line based.

[Guest ThePunisher]

Fundamentally transforming America! That's what he promised. Yep, voting has consequences and people don't even realize it. This is something that will be blamed on Bush.

[UncleJak]

My understanding is that the layoffs of the past few months were those with poor performance. The ones that began today and will continue through the week are "reduction of force" or "restructuring" layoffs. Those laid off today and tomorrow will be given pay/benefits for 60 days and a pay out for years of service. I believe the poor performance lay offs are complete and this and future layoffs will be bottom line based.

from what I was told the poor performance layoffs had no previous performance issues. Funny how someone can have years of great reviews and then when layoffs happen, all of a sudden they have poor reviews.
I don't know if this is true but I trust my source completely.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee