COVID-19通過減薪和裁員打擊了一些醫(yī)療工作者
Just three weeks ago, Dr. Kathryn Davis worried about the novel coronavirus but not about how it might impact her group of five OB-GYNs who practice at a suburban hospital outside Boston.
就在三周前,凱瑟琳·戴維斯博士擔心新型冠狀病毒,但不擔心它會對她在波士頓郊外一家醫(yī)院實習的五名婦產(chǎn)科醫(yī)生產(chǎn)生什么影響。
"In medicine, we think we're relatively immune from the economy," Davis says.
“在醫(yī)學界,我們認為自己相對而言不受經(jīng)濟影響,”戴維斯說。
"People are always going to get sick; people are always going to need doctors."
“人們總是會生病;人們總是需要醫(yī)生。”
Then two weeks ago, she watched her practice revenue drop 50% almost overnight after Massachusetts officials told doctors and hospitals to stop performing elective tests and procedures. For Davis, that meant no more nonurgent gynecological visits and screenings.
兩周前,她眼看著自己的診所收入幾乎一夜之間下降了50%,原因是馬薩諸塞州官員要求醫(yī)生和醫(yī)院停止進行選擇性檢查和手術(shù)。對戴維斯來說,這意味著不再有非緊急婦訪問和檢查。
Late last week, as Davis and her partners absorbed the stunning turn of events, they devised a stop-gap plan. The 35 nurses, medical assistants and secretaries they employ would have two options: move from full time to part time or start collecting unemployment. Doctors in the practice would take a substantial pay cut. Davis says she's hearing from colleagues who may have to permanently close their offices if the focus on crisis-level care continues for months.
上周晚些時候,當戴維斯和她的伙伴們沉浸在這一令人震驚的轉(zhuǎn)折之中時,他們想出了一個權(quán)宜之計。他們雇傭的35名護士、醫(yī)療助理和秘書有兩種選擇:從全職轉(zhuǎn)為兼職,或者開始領(lǐng)取失業(yè)救濟金。行醫(yī)的醫(yī)生會被大幅減薪。戴維斯說,她聽到一些同事說,如果對危機級醫(yī)療的關(guān)注持續(xù)幾個月,他們可能不得不永久關(guān)閉辦公室。
Patient volume way down
病人數(shù)量下降
Atrius Health, the largest independent physician group in Massachusetts, says patient volume is down 75% since mid-March. It is temporarily closing offices, placing many nonclinical employees on furlough and withholding pay for those who remain. The average withholding is 20%, and the company pledges that pay withheld will be returned. The lowest-paid workers, those earning up to $55.000. are exempt.
馬薩諸塞州最大的獨立醫(yī)師團體Atrius Health說,自3月中旬以來,病人數(shù)量下降了75%。它暫時關(guān)閉了一些辦公室,讓許多非臨床工作人員暫時休假,并扣留那些留下來的員工的工資。平均預扣20%,公司承諾會退還預扣的工資。收入在5.5萬美元以下的最低工資工人可以被豁免。
"What we're trying to do is piece together a solution to get through the crisis and keep employed as many people as we can," said Atrius CEO Dr. Steve Strongwater.
Atrius首席執(zhí)行官史蒂夫·斯特朗沃特博士表示:“我們正在努力拼湊出一個解決方案,以度過危機,并盡可能多地留住員工。”
Strongwater said physician groups must be included when the federal government distributes $100 billion to hospitals from the $2 trillion stimulus package.
斯特朗沃特說,當聯(lián)邦政府從2萬億美元的經(jīng)濟刺激計劃中拿出1.000億美元分配給醫(yī)院時,必須將醫(yī)師團體包括在內(nèi)。
A 'seismic financial shock'
“地震般的金融沖擊”
Dallas-based Steward Health Care has told hospital employees in Massachusetts and the eight other states where it operates to expect furloughs focused on nonclinical staff.
總部位于達拉斯的Steward Health Care已告知馬薩諸塞州和其他八個州的醫(yī)院員工,將對非臨床工作人員實施強制休假。
In a statement, Steward Health Care said it prepared for the pandemic but is experiencing a "seismic financial shock."
世衛(wèi)組織在一份聲明中說,它已經(jīng)為大流行做好了準備,但目前正在經(jīng)歷一場“地震般的金融沖擊”。
"Elective surgeries are the cornerstone of our hospital system's operating model — and the negative impact due to the cancellations of these procedures cannot be overstated. In addition, patients are understandably cautious and choosing to defer any non-emergency treatments or routine visits until this crisis has passed."
“擇期手術(shù)是我們醫(yī)院系統(tǒng)運作模式的基石,取消這些手術(shù)的負面影響怎么強調(diào)都不過分。”此外,可以理解的是,病人都很謹慎,他們選擇推遲任何非緊急治療或常規(guī)訪問,直到危機過去。”