Some Tenet Health employees are being furloughed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but the company says patient care is not impacted.
In a statement Friday to KSBY News, Tenet Health Central Coast, which operates Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, said in part: "With shelter-in-place orders and the cancellation or postponement of most elective procedures, some hospital units - which are not related to the COVID-19 crisis or other critical patient care needs - have been closed or ramped down. We have taken steps to divert additional resources to COVID-19 care and other urgent medical procedures that cannot be deferred. This includes flexing down costs and implementing furloughs for certain jobs where we need, or are required to, limit activity due to the current environment."
Tenet has not said how many employees are impacted, but did say employees are still receiving medical benefits.
"These actions do not impact direct bedside nursing care for COVID-19 and do not impact emergency or medically necessary care access for patients with other medical conditions. We remain appropriately staffed to provide our full support to treat patients in the Central Coast and prepare for a potential surge."
Many hospitals have reported fewer patients coming into emergency room's during the pandemic.
Dignity Health Central Coast, which operates three Central Coast hospitals, told KSBY News on Monday, April 20, that it has not furloughed any staff and has no plans to do so at this time.