Ouachita County Medical Center furloughs nearly 50 staff, cuts pay amid Chapter 11

Hospital announces furloughs and pay cuts amid bankruptcy

Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden, Arkansas, has furloughed nearly 50 employees and reduced salaries for remaining staff as it works to meet budget constraints while under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, CEO Glenda Harper told Becker’s Hospital Review.

The hospital implemented the furloughs beginning July 24. They are scheduled to run through Sept. 25. According to the report, the staffing reductions affect clinical and support areas, including nurses, pharmacy, environmental services, dietary and maintenance.

What the hospital said

CEO Glenda Harper provided information about the staffing and pay actions to Becker’s Hospital Review. The move is described as a measure to address budgetary pressures while the facility operates under bankruptcy protections. Beyond the timing, the departments affected and the fact that salary reductions were instituted for remaining employees, the source did not provide additional operational or financial details.

Departments affected and scope

The furloughs span a cross-section of hospital services. The source named several areas by department: nurses, pharmacy, environmental services, dietary and maintenance. The report described the total number of furloughed employees as close to 50. The article did not break down how many workers in each department were furloughed or what clinical services—if any—were curtailed as a result.

Timing and duration

The staffing changes took effect on July 24 and are slated to continue through Sept. 25. The source did not report whether the hospital intends to extend the furlough period, reinstate employees at the end of that window, or take other staffing actions tied to the bankruptcy process.

Bankruptcy context reported

Becker’s noted that the hospital is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy and that the furloughs and pay reductions are part of efforts to meet budget constraints under that status. The source did not report additional details about the bankruptcy filing itself, such as the filing date, the terms of reorganization or any creditor arrangements.

What the report did not say

Several specifics were not included in the Becker’s report referenced by the hospital CEO. The source did not provide:

• Exact headcounts by department for furloughed or retained staff.
• The percentage or dollar amounts of the salary reductions imposed on remaining employees.
• Whether patient services have been reduced, relocated or otherwise altered in response to the staffing changes.
• The date the hospital filed for Chapter 11, the nature of its liabilities, or details of its reorganization plan.
• Plans for rehiring, permanent layoffs, or other long-term workforce decisions.

Because those details were not reported in the source, they are not included here.

Potential implications (based on reported facts)

The actions reported—furloughing nearly 50 staff and cutting pay for remaining employees—indicate the hospital is taking short-term measures aimed at lowering labor costs while operating under bankruptcy protection. The named departments include both clinical and support functions, which could affect operational capacity depending on how the furloughs are implemented day to day. The report does not indicate any immediate changes to patient care or service lines.

Next steps and available information

According to the Becker’s article, the furloughs run through Sept. 25. Beyond that timeframe and the items specifically reported by CEO Glenda Harper, the source did not provide follow-up plans or timelines for restoring staffing or pay levels. Additional updates would need to come from the hospital, its public filings related to the Chapter 11 process, or subsequent reporting.

How this was reported

The facts in this article are drawn from comments made to Becker’s Hospital Review by Ouachita County Medical Center CEO Glenda Harper and summarized in the Becker’s report. Where the source omitted specifics, this rewrite notes that those details were not reported.

If you want, I can monitor for follow-up reporting or look for the hospital’s Chapter 11 filings and any public statements that provide the missing details reported as not available in the source.