Last week, Wellstar Health System shocked Atlanta residents, and the medical community at large, when it announced that Atlanta Medical Center (AMC) would close its doors on November 1, 2022. (That’s 23 days before Thanksgiving and 40 days before Christmas). Wellstar, which has operated AMC since 2016, cited $107 million in losses last year as the primary reason for the closure. According to Wellstar officials, inflation and the pandemic have resulted in increasing overhead costs.
City officials and hospital employees stated that they were literally blindsided by the announcement. Neither received advanced notice. AMC is the only level I trauma center in the metro Atlanta area beside Grady Memorial Hospital. This is also the second closure at a Wellstar facility this year. In May, the AMC South location closed its emergency department. The facility is a 24-hour urgent care and rehabilitation facility instead. Both AMC and AMC South provided services to predominantly minority and low-income communities.
As someone who’s experienced a layoff, I know firsthand how it feels. It’s a jolting slap in the face. To hear “nurse” and “layoff” in the same sentence feels like an oxymoron. Health care is essential, which means nurses are needed. Underserved populations are especially in need of care, so what gives?
For those living outside of the Atlanta metro area, Wellstar facilities are predominately clustered in Cobb County – an area where many high income individuals reside. When Wellstar purchased AMC, I was shocked. Prior to corporate nursing, I worked as a travel nurse at several Cobb County facilities from 2013 to 2014. I could easily tell AMC’s existing patient population was vastly different than who Wellstar typically serves. I’ve also worked with Wellstar behind the scenes in a former corporate nursing position, where I deduced that, like many health care entities, it’s in business to make money. Yes, hospitals are businesses as I’ve written about earlier this year. However, if an organization’s business model is to operate in areas where patients have private insurance or the means to pay out-of-pocket, it’s highly questionable when the same organization purchases a hospital in Old Fourth Ward, near downtown Atlanta, as this is considered counterproductive to the success of the existing business model. Two closures in less than six months doesn’t uphold the message of “our passion for people extends beyond our system and into the communities we serve.”
While I no longer work at the bedside, I support those who’re still there, especially the nurses who believe the bedside is their calling and where they hope to retire from. I’m sure the nurses at AMC are not only upset because they’re losing their jobs, but also because patients are now susceptible to poorer health care outcomes since the facility is closing. In addition, other facilities, such as Grady, aren’t in the position to shoulder an additional 450+ beds. For those living within the Atlanta metro area, where should they look for employment?
Wellstar has allegedly conveyed to AMC employees that they’ll have jobs at any of the other Wellstar facilities. Unless you live near or Cobb County, the commute within Atlanta and the surrounding areas is horrendous! Although there are several hospitals within the vicinity of AMC, the pay structure, benefits and culture may not work for everyone. Nurses shouldn’t have to make drastic changes or scramble around to find suitable employment right before the holiday season.
When I was laid off, it happened days before Thanksgiving. While I tried to keep an open mind and remain optimistic, I experienced some very dark moments. At the time, I didn’t believe in God. One afternoon, through tears as I laid in bed, I called out, “If You are real and can hear me up there, God, I need a sign that You’ve heard this.” An hour later, I received a call with a job offer! I share this story to remind you there’s sunshine after the rain. I know it’s difficult to see past your circumstances amid what’s occurring right in front of you. I pray that everyone affected by this layoff will receive an employment offer before November 1. I encourage you to take the time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile, as well as nurture your professional network between now and November 1.
Nurses, your skills are valuable and there is a place specifically for YOU within the health care sector.