UMMC takes financial hit from COVID-19

UMMC is permanently closing the Flowood gym.

GOOD.13 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND AHANDFUL OF PART- TIMERS ..TOLDTODAYTHEY NO LONGER HAVE A JOB.

THEHOSPITAL'S LEADERSHIP SAYS MORECUTBACKS ARE LIKELY ON THE WAYBECAUSE OFTHE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

EDDIE CLERK HAS WORKED AT WHATUSED TO BE CALLED THE LAKELANDCOURTHOUSE FOR A LONG TIME!EDDIE CLERK/38 YEAR EMPLOYEE: 38YEARS!WEDNESDAY HE ANDOTHERS AT THE NOW UNIVERSITYWELLNESS CENTER WERE TOLD THEYARE OUT OF A JOB.THE 74 YEAR OLD CLERK ADMITSIT'S A BLOW!EDDIE CLERK/38 YEAR EMPLOYEE:RIGHT NOW ..

IT HASN'T HITME.BUT YOU GOT TO GO ON YOU JUSTCAN'TLET THIS TAKE YOU DOWN.

SINCETHE UNIVERSITY TOOK OVER THEFORMERCOURTHOUSE FRANCHISE IT HASCLOSED MULTIPLELOCATIONS FROM BRANDON TODOWNTOWNJACKSON.THE CORNERSTONE LAKELAND SITE...THELAST ONE.KEVIN COOK/UMMC CEO: THELAKELAND FACILITY WAS LOSINGMONEY WE COULDN'T CONTINUE TOJUSTIFY KEEPING ITOPEN.WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOTOF TOUGH DECISIONS AROUNDTHE ORGANIZATION IN THE COMINGMONTHS THIS ONE OF THOSE.UMMC ADMITS IT IS LOSING MASSIVEAMOUNTS OF MONEY IN THE MIDST OFTHEPANDEMIC.SCOTT SIMMONS/REPORTI NG: YOUTALK ABOUT TOUGH DECISIONS TOMAKE IN THEFUTURE .

I TAKE THAT TO MEANOTHER EMPLOYEES COULD LOSE THEIRJOBS IN THE COMING MONTHS?

KEVINCOOK/UMMC CEO: I THINKEVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE ATTHIS POINT.SCOTT SIMMONS: CAN YOU PROJECTHOW MUCH OF A DEFECIT THEHOSPITAL MAY BE FACING BECAUSEOF COVID 19?KEVIN COOK/UMMC CEO: RIGHT NOWTHE NUMBERS WE ARE PROJECTINGARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 100 AND140 MILLION DOLLARS BETWEENWHAT WE HAVE LOST ALREADY ANDTHE COMING MONTHS..HOSPITALADMINISTRATORS HAVE ALREADYTAKEN PAYCUTS ...AND ARE ANALYZING WHERECUTSMIGHT BE MADE NEXT.BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC THEY HADTO STOP DOING ELECTIVE SURGERIESAND OTHERPROCEDURES THAT BROUGHT INREVENUE.THE JOBS LOST AT THE UNIVERSITYWELLNESSCENTER COULD BE THE FIRST OFMORE TO COME.KEVIN COOK/UMMC CEO: WE ARELOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS AND AREGOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CANAND DO EVERYTHING TOGET BACK ON OUR FINANCIALFOOTINGAS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

GYM MEMBERSHIP DUES HERE AREBEING REFUNDED ANDADMINISTRATORS ARE WORKING OUTDETAILS FOR THINGS LIKE THESWIM TEAM THAT USES THE POOL.ALL OF THE UNIVERSITY WELLNESSGYM PROPERTIES ARE NOW UP FORSALELIVE IN FLOWOOD SCOTT SIMMONS 16WAPT NEWSTHE GOVERNORS SUSPENSION OFEVICTIONS IN