UAMC Home Health currently provides approximately 400 patients with intermittent nursing care in the home. Patients who require ongoing home health care will be transitioned to the care of other home health agencies in the community.
Approximately 40 employees will be impacted by the decision.
UAMC’s 36 home health staff members include nurses, therapists, social workers and others. They will receive severance packages based on their length of service and their benefits will be continued for two months. UAMC anticipates that most will find other jobs elsewhere in the UA Health Network, one of the largest employers in Tucson with more than 6,000 employees.
Despite the fact that the residents of Pima County have been subsidizing the training of doctors at the University, UAMC is making a business decision to devote its resources to services and programs such as trauma, organ transplantation and the high-tech specialty care for residence from across the state.
Karen Mlawsky, CEO of the Hospital Division of the UA Health Network said, “We are confident our patients will be well served by the many community agencies offering home-care services,” she said. “The health-care environment is changing at a rapid pace. Many providers are adapting to these changes by focusing time and limited financial resources on core business initiatives.”