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Amid COVID-19 Crisis, A Major Mountain West Health Care Provider Could Cut Pay For Doctors, Nurses

An image of a hospital tower run by Intermountain Healthcare.
Andy D.
/
Flickr Creative Commons
Intermountain Healthcare announced it could be cutting pay for some doctors and nurses beginning in June.

As hospitals continue to fill up with COVID-19 patients, one major health care provider in the Mountain West announced it’s cutting pay for some of its medical staff.

Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare has clinics, physicians, hospitals and telehealth services across the region. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the company sent a letter to staff last week, saying it’s cutting pay for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in the coming months.

“Our priority is to help you continue to work and have a stable income,” Intermountain Healthcare’s chief physician executive, Mark Briesacher, said in a video explaining the move. “We’re doing that through temporary measures for redeployment and compensation. This will help us meet the needs of our patients, as well as reduce uncertainty for you and your families.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vinJKQ-uvro&feature=emb_logo

A spokesperson for the company said in a statement that no pay cuts have taken place yet. Additionally, if employees can be redeployed to a different role, they will continue to be paid at their current rate. And if they can’t, they’ll get four weeks of compensation.

Clarification: The pay cut announcement to Intermountain Healthcare staff is according to a report  from the Salt Lake Tribune.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with additional support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Do you have questions about COVID-19? How has this crisis affected you? Our reporters would love to hear from you. You can submit your question or share your story here.

Noah Glick is a former content director and host at KUNR Public Radio.
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