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News Feature

Blue Hill
Originally published in The Weekly Packet, September 6, 2012
BHMH announces incentive plan to reduce workforce

by Faith DeAmbrose

Blue Hill Memorial Hospital has announced it will ask its employees to “self-identify” their willingness to resign their positions at BHMH.

The move is an attempt to “create permanent budget reductions and possibly avoid layoffs,” said BHMH CEO Greg Roraff in a prepared statement September 5.

The Voluntary Separation Incentive Program was launched to employees September 5 with the idea that, if interested, employees could apply to be included. Hospital administrators will make final decisions by September 17.

“This is the very beginning step in a long process to reinvent [BHMH] with respect to changes in health care,” said interim director of advancement Kelley Columber, who added that the hospital did not have specifics on how many positions it seeks to eliminate.

Acknowledging in the prepared statement, “this action comes amid community concern regarding property the hospital recently purchased,” Columber elaborated via telephone to say that BHMH has a “strong balance sheet and can invest in the future.” She said it is important now for the hospital to improve its day-to-day operating expenses.

BHMH to host community meeting September 18

While initially announcing that it would hold a community meeting on September 17, that date has now been changed to Tuesday, September 18. The meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. at the Blue Hill town hall, is intended to provide a venue for the community and hospital officials to exchange information and for the hospital to listen to concerns and ideas from the public regarding its campus redevelopment plan. According to a press release, at the meeting, BHMH “will announce the formation of a community task force that will assist in firming our future campus redevelopment plan.”

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