UAB Hospital Losing $70 Million Per Month Due To COVID Restrictions
UAB Hospital is taking a financial hit from COVID-19. Officials announced Friday a projected loss of $70 million per month due to reduced clinical visits, elective surgeries and hospital stays.
“To get ready for the COVID crisis and to take care of these patients, we had to significantly decrease our clinical activity,” said UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany in a video statement. “During the first month, we had about 3,000 elective surgery visits canceled … almost 11,000 less patient days in our hospital, and about 85,000 fewer visits to our clinics.”
Ferniany said the health system is estimated to lose around $230 million by the end of the fiscal year on September 30. He said UAB has received about $30 million in federal stimulus money to help hospitals deal with the crisis, and will seek additional financial assistance through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He said officials are minimizing expenses and have stopped all hiring and travel.
“To deal with this, and we have to deal with it so we can be ready to care for the people of Alabama in the future, we’re trying to re-open the hospital as quickly and safely as possible, to be here to treat the people that need our care,” Ferniany said.
UAB Hospital is the largest in Alabama. It has cared for 185 COVID-19 patients, roughly 25% of those who have been hospitalized for the virus statewide. UAB officials say the health system has been instrumental in helping Alabama fight the virus by expanding testing capacity, leading in research efforts and consulting with state leadership.
Alabama district attorney says ‘justice demands’ new trial for death row inmate
Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr filed a brief expressing his support for Toforest Johnson’s bid to receive a new trial. Carr has supported a new trial since 2020, but the latest filing detailed the findings of a post-conviction review of the case.
After decisive loss at Alabama Mercedes plants, powerful auto union vows to return and win
Newly elected UAW President Shawn Fain said the union will return to Mercedes and will press on with efforts to organize about 150,000 workers at more than a dozen auto factories across the nation.
Gulf South states among U.S. leaders for juvenile life without parole sentences, study shows
A youth sentencing study shows Alabama and Mississippi are among just four states that top the nation in new juvenile life without parole sentences since 2012.
Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union
The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.
Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’
Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.
UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass
Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
