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Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 80F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 80F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.

Bakersfield Heart Hospital gave layoff notices this week to 114 employees as part of an effort to "right-size" its operation after losing business and money during the pandemic.

Positions were cut in divisions throughout the organization such that no departments will have to close, thereby avoiding planning scenarios that had involved closing the hospital's emergency room.

Workers given pink slips Tuesday were told they will continue to be paid their full salaries and receive benefits through Nov. 5, but that they no longer had to report to work.

Coming just over a month after the departure of Bakersfield Heart's CEO for the past seven years, Michelle Oxford, the cutbacks will allow more resources to be dedicated to patient care and specialized surgery, specifically including cardiology and orthopedics, according to a statement released Wednesday afternoon by the 47-bed hospital at 3001 Sillect Ave.

"While difficult," the statement added, "this decision was necessary as we are forced to continue navigating the substantial and lasting financial impact of the pandemic while also aligning our services to local patient needs.” It said layoffs preserved the jobs of clinical personnel wherever possible.

"We are thankful for our team members’ service and are committed to making these changes with respect and compassion," the hospital said in a statement released to some news media on Tuesday. "Bakersfield Heart Hospital remains focused on our vision to be the region’s premier provider of care and is driven by our mission to enhance the quality of health of our patients and their families.”

Spokeswoman Laura Sabedra said Oxford worked her last day at the hospital on July 29 after resigning to take a position at a different organization.

According to a copy of an individual layoff notice dated Tuesday that was obtained by The Californian, Bakersfield Heart's administration initiated open communication within the medical center in August about its needs to "increase operational efficiency" by reshaping its services to align with community needs and the hospital's strengths.

The notice said that if the hospital successfully stabilizes, people laid off will be able to apply for new jobs that open. No "bumping rights" would apply in such hiring, meaning former employees with seniority would not receive any special consideration, according to the letter signed by interim CEO Lani Dickinson.

Sabedra confirmed there had been consideration of closing the emergency department, if only because during planning stages of a major cutback, "everything's on the table." But she could not promise the department would still be open in six months.

"At this point right now, there's going to be an emergency department. That's all I can say," she said. She added, without being specific, that factually unsupported statements have been made since Tuesday on social media regarding the cutbacks.

Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 281,763

Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 269,764

Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated: 72.24

Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated: 83.33

Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department

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