GRAVETTE -- Ozarks Community Hospital recently laid off 12 of its 308 employees and providers at its Gravette location, but the layoffs represent only a small percentage of the OCH workforce in Gravette.
In January of 2014, OCH employed approximately 199 people in the community. Its growth to 308 employees demonstrates that OCH has grown considerably over the past two years. Several new providers have recently come on board and there are no plans for the hospital to cut back on health services or to close.
The hospital cafeteria has been closed to employees and the public, but it will continue to operate to serve patient meals.
"Our goal for 2016 is to reduce expenses and focus on growth, especially in Gravette and surrounding communities," said Carrie Richardson, chief operating officer of OCH. "We look forward to continuing our mission and appreciate our many dedicated employees."
Richardson provided the following statement to help explain the OCH layoff and answer any questions people might have:
"The healthcare industry faces the difficult challenge of expanding and contracting at the same time. Ozarks Community Hospital of Gravette recently expanded its workforce in order to add services and technology while reimbursement from third-party players continues to shift and shrink. In an effort to use our financial resources where they are doing the most good, the OCH health system has implemented cost-saving measures. After careful analysis, OCH has made the difficult decision to stop serving meals to employees and the public in the Gravette hospital cafeteria through the remainder of 2016. The dietary department will continue to serve patient meals.
Ozarks Community Hospital of Gravette remains a thriving, 25-bed critical-access hospital with a 24-hour emergency room, state-of-the-art radiology department, laboratory, cardiopulmonary and rehabilitation services, outpatient geriatric behavioral health program and growing surgery services. The hospital system continues to recruit and welcome additional family practice providers and specialists in Gravette."
General News on 02/03/2016