Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi plans to keep its team together, despite financial hits to the healthcare system.

Since the start of COVID-19, America’s healthcare system has experienced financial losses. The average hospital has seen about a 40 percent to 45 percent decrease in operating revenue, according to an article by usnews.com.

Baptist Hospital has not released any plans at the moment to cut staff or reduce salaries. Instead, they have chosen to closely monitor the COVID-19 patient situation, according to a statement from the hospital. 

“We’re keeping our team together and have no plans to reduce staff,” Ayoka Pond, director of communications for the hospital network, said. “We’re doing budget planning now, so it’s too soon to say if we’ll cut budgets or not.”

The Mayo Clinic announced on April 10 plans to cut $1.6 billion in employee pay after they suffered a $3 billion loss in revenue.  

The University of Mississippi Medical Center announced on May 21 that it would be laying off 250 employees and reducing salaries by 10 percent for employees that make more than $100,000 a year.

Hospital leaders said the facility is projecting more than a $100 million deficit through September.

The news comes as a result of UMMC’s financial losses due to COVID-19. Vice-Chancellor Lou Ann Woodward made the announcement in a letter that was sent to all UMMC staff, faculty and students on May 27.