Hospital revenues have been hit hard by the cessation of elective surgeries, with rural hospitals particularly struggling to deal with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ozarks First reports.
Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, Ark., made a profit of $4.5 million last year, but expects to lose $8 million in April.
The drop in revenue forced the hospital to implement several cost-saving measures, including cutting staff hours, reducing executive salaries and furloughing 280 employees.
The hospital is performing some elective surgeries in accordance with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's recent guidance, but has not scheduled any total joint procedures.
No elective procedures that require overnight stays are being performed yet.