Mayo Clinic Responds To Being Blamed For Minnesota Nurse Layoffs
It was recently announced that Allina Health would be laying off nurses at Owatonna Hospital in Minnesota, impacting the OR and Ambulatory Surgery units.
While layoffs are always disappointing for all involved, this announcement is especially frustrating for the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) as it believes a major healthcare provider nearby played no small role in the layoffs in Owatonna.
Specifically, the Minnesota Nurses Association Chairs at Owatonna are now pointing fingers at the Mayo Clinic.
The MNA Chairs At Owatonna Hospital Issue A Statement
On September 18, 2024, the Minnesota Nurses Association Chairs at Owatonna Hospital issued a statement that began: “Nurses are very concerned about the recent announcement from Allina Health that they will be laying off nurses at Owatonna Hospital in the OR and Ambulatory Surgery units. We are particularly concerned by the role the Mayo Clinic is playing in this decision and the impact it will have on the Owatonna community."
The statement goes on to explain that Allina hands the acute care at Owatonna Hospital, while the Mayo Clinic oversees the clinical side. That arrangement means that Mayo is supposed to supply surgeons to the Allina side.
However, the MNA claims that Mayo has stopped doing this, and that has led to fewer surgeons being available. They go on to also accuse Mayo of no longer referring patients to Allina, choosing to instead refer them to the Mayo Rochester campus. This has resulted in a dramatic decrease in work available for nurses at Owatonna Hospital.
The statement then gets stronger in tone by saying that "once again, corporate healthcare executives at Mayo who have no connection to the community are making decisions that negatively affect nurses and patients."
The MNA adds that there has been no transparency about the decision-making process and that Mayo failed to seek input from nurses and other healthcare workers on how this will affect care in Owatonna.
MNA Chairs At Owatonna Hospital end their statement regarding the layoffs strongly encouraging Allina and Mayo to reconsider this "short-sighted decision" and work with them on a solution that does not require laying off nurses and downgrading the care available at our Owatonna Hospital.
UPDATE: Mayo Clinic Issues A Response To Minnesota Nurses Association
On Thursday, September 19, Jason Wray-Raabolle, M.D., the site lead physician for the Mayo Clinic Health System in Faribault and Owatonna issued the following statement:
"Allina Health owns and operates the Owatonna Hospital and oversees all nurse staffing-related decisions. The hospital nurses in Owatonna are employed by Allina. Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) values its partnership with Allina but is not involved in these types of personnel decisions.
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One of our general surgeons who previously worked at MCHS in Owatonna resigned recently, and we are actively working to fill this position. There have been no other changes to our staffing from a personnel perspective.
Our clinic staff carefully evaluates each patient’s case, taking into account their individual needs and preferences, to determine the most appropriate course of action. In some instances, referrals to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester may be necessary to provide specialized care or access to resources that aren’t available locally. We strive to collaborate with Allina Health in Owatonna to keep patients close to home whenever possible."