The financial meltdown at Jackson Health System is got even uglier today after the union representing 5,000 nurses, doctors and other hospital healthcare workers there demanded a grand jury investigation into the money crisis.
"It's time for a bold action," said SEIU LOcal 1991 union President Martha Baker in a press conference this morning. "We are calling on the Miami-Dade State's attorney to initiate a grand jury to investigate."
Jackson announced earlier this week that they have less than 20 days left in cash reserves, are facing a nearly $230 million deficit for 2010 and they're losing over $10 million each month.
Its costs about $2 billion a year to operate the tax-assisted hospital system.
Word began to spread that massive layoffs were coming earlier this week, and the hospital announced Tuesday it had laid off at least 20 union employees.
In a statement released after the press conference, Jackson said the union's
"The allegations brought forth today by SEIU are without merit and inaccurate," Jackson's statement read. "Jackson Health System operates in the public domain. All of our information is accessible to the public."
Baker said the fiscal crisis and more looming layoffs could be "potentially catastrophic repercussion for this community."
She called for complete and accurate accounting of public funds, a determination of how patient care might suffer with employee cuts and an analysis of leadership failures at Jackson.
Last Friday, CEO Dr. Eneida Roldan sent out a letter to employees stating the leadership is trying to "Save Jackson...we have reduced the number of contracts we hold with outside agencies, lowered the cost for those that remain, cut the compensation that our top executives receive, and closed some services that were no longer profitable."
Baker said the state's attorney office need to step in to offer assistance.
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"The vital public resource is at serious risk and we need your help," she said.
Jackson said they're "committed to working with all of our partners - both academic and union - and elected officials to tackle our challenges and make Jackson stronger."
