UConn Health has made the strategic decision not to continue to deliver clinical pediatric services.
This decision is in part financial and in part due that pediatric clinics fit more aptly within the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center model of care.
Connecticut Children’s has decided to operate pediatric clinics in the same sites of East Hartford and West Hartford. The effective date for this change is planned for October 1, 2016
However, Connecticut Children’s will be employing the same pediatricians and without any disruption of service to patients. Each year, East Hartford has approximately 8,000 pediatric patient visits while West Hartford has 4,500 visits.
While layoff notices were delivered on July 5 to 11 staff members, UConn Health is optimistic that through the filling of internal needs and jobs with pediatrics that Children’s will be posting that job losses will be minimal.
UConn Health’s leadership is working with the leadership of Connecticut Children’s to ensure a seamless transition that is supportive to patients, providers and employees.
For more information about this pediatrics news, please review the following Questions and Answers:
Q & A about Pediatrics
Does this affect neonatology or pediatric patients seen by non-pediatric specialties?
No, this change affects only the primary care pediatric sites of East Hartford and West Hartford.
Will this impact any UConn School of Medicine education or research activities currently associated with UCH clinical pediatric services?No. Pediatric education is conducted as a UConn School of Medicine function which is already conducted in part by Connecticut Children’s. This relationship will continue unchanged.
How much will be saved by this decision?
This decision will save nearly $700,000 annually.
How many UConn Health employees are employed in pediatric clinics?
Many of the employees are ‘dual’ employees, serving multiple UConn Health clinics in this location, so a count is tricky. In all, there are about 4 physicians and 11 staff who in part or whole support the pediatric clinical operation.
How many employees received notice, how many will be laid off?
Eleven people received layoff notices. Most are expected to be retained by UConn Health in other clinical operations or offered employment by Connecticut Children’s.
With this decision, will employees maintain their state employee status and state benefits?
Employees who stay with UConn Health to support the remaining non-pediatric clinical operations or transfer to other internal opportunities will continue as state employees. Those employees, including the physicians, who join Children’s would leave state service and become Connecticut Children’s employees.
Will all current employees be offered positions with Connecticut Children’s?
Children’s has expressed their desire to make this as seamless as possible. Children’s will make available to all involved their position postings so they can work through filling slots in a way that reflects their business plan and clinical operating model going forward.
Will Connecticut Children’s pay rent at East Hartford and West Hartford; are these locations owned by UConn Health?
Both sites are leased, not owned, by UConn Health. Children’s will assume a portion of the rent proportionate to the space they will use to operate pediatric clinics.
How many patients are seen at each site?
Approximately 8,000 pediatric patient visits occur at East Hartford and 4,500 at West Hartford annually.
Will this change decrease access to care?
Thanks to the Connecticut Children’s plans to operate pediatric clinics at these sites, community access to care will not change.