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RIO RANCHO — After the University of New Mexico Hospital announced 53 position cuts, including Sandoval Regional Medical Center President Jamie Silva-Steele, she issued a statement about her time there April 23.
“It has been the honor of my professional career to lead SRMC and work with the amazing team of leaders, staff and providers. My sincerest thanks to the community and community leaders for all of your support during my nearly 12 years at SRMC. To our patients, thank you for trusting us to care for you. You will continue to be in the great hands of an amazing and dedicated team of clinical professionals,” she said in a memo to staff at SRMC.
She also issued a letter April 17 to all staff and providers at SRMC.
“This has been a difficult week for our team here at SRMC and at the Lomas Campus. In an effort to improve our financial situation, our leadership has been forced to make some tough, but strategic decisions. Unfortunately, part of those decisions involves removing leadership positions across both campuses,” she wrote.
She stated the SRMC hospital has been in a negative financial position since December but that the team had risen to the challenge, working toward decreasing contract labor, hiring permanent staff, working on decreasing length of stay, and expanding outpatient access. “All of these have been very positive for the organization as evidenced by our True North dashboard. My sincerest thanks to all of you for your tremendous work over the past few months to improve these areas,” she said.
She also noted SRMC being acquired by UNM Hospital last year, saying they have been fortunate to receive enhanced reimbursement through the state’s directed payment agreement with UNM Hospital. “Without this enhanced reimbursement, our financial position would have been worse,” she said.
She admitted that those financial struggles, as it is for all hospitals, has been constant since COVID-19 took hold of the state.
“Our current financial situation is not sustainable, and we must once again examine opportunities to improve our financial performance,” she wrote.
There are several leadership positions including Silva-Steele’s being removed, effective June 30 this year.
Positions removedPresident, chief financial officer, chief human resources officer, chief diversity and well-being officer, executive director of support services, director of food and nutrition services, director of talent acquisition.
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Vacant leadership positions removedDirector of emergency services, director of case management, director of pharmacy, director of quality, manager of surgical services.
Silva-Steele writes that they will also be removing the quality data analyst position and are on track to continue to reduce contract labor positions. She added that these changes in leadership positions will remove redundancy and duplication and allow the hospital to streamline the organizational structure to enhance efficiencies.
“It is important for me to note that the leaders impacted by these cuts here at SRMC have been outstanding in their roles and have been dedicated to our success. I am grateful to each of them for their years of service and contributions to the organization,” she wrote.
UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker held a town hall April 17 as well. Silva-Steele stated Becker shared the high-level financial impacts and action plans UNM Hospital is undertaking.
Silva-Steele noted that this change will not be easy but that it is necessary.
“What we cannot lose sight of is our priority to continue to care for our patients and our community. That is why we exist. We must remain focused on continuing to deliver the highest quality care possible. Our patients, their families, and our community need all of you,” Silva-Steele ended.
