The hospital announced it is reducing hours for some staff, cutting pay for senior administrators and taking other cost saving measures.

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Just as the coronavirus crisis is ramping up, Sarasota Memorial Hospital is being forced to furlough some employees temporarily, cut staff hours and institute other cost savings to deal with a steep decline in revenue.

The hospital announced the cuts Friday, saying revenue dropped by $16 million in March after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a statewide halt in elective procedures.

The exact number of employees who will be furloughed has yet to be determined

After the governor’s executive order, surgeries fell by 50% at Sarasota Memorial, and the number of inpatients fell by 30%.

“Meanwhile, volumes decreased by 45% in SMH’s two Emergency Care Centers, and by 66% at its seven Urgent Care Centers,” the hospital said in a news release.

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Sarasota Memorial also instituted a hiring freeze, cut pay for senior administrators and temporarily suspended “any patient services and projects that are not critical at this time.”

“This was an extremely difficult decision, and one that we did not make lightly,” Hospital CEO David Verinder said Friday in announcing the furloughs. “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.”

Sarasota Memorial employees who are furloughed “will keep their positions and be called back to work once the hospital resumes normal operations, or earlier if they are needed during this crisis,” the hospital’s news release states.

The hospital is providing benefits to furloughed staff for at least 90 days.

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Hospital officials say they expect an even greater revenue decline in April and May, just as the coronavirus crisis is projected to reach its peak in Florida.

Congress approved a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes money for hospitals and other health care providers, but it’s not clear when that money will be distributed, according to an SMH spokesperson.

As of Saturday afternoon, Sarasota Memorial had 32 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. There are five SMH patients who have died of the disease and nine employees who have been infected.