OHSU Says Times Too Uncertain To Make Hires

Published 4:00 pm Thursday, February 28, 2013

Oregon Health and Science University has announced a hiring freeze for the immediate future. OHSU is Portland’s largest employer, and the state’s only major teaching hospital. It says 389 positions will remain unfilled because of financial uncertainty.

Courtesy of Oregon Health and Science University

Sequestration cuts target only a fraction of Medicare spending. But OHSU’s Seeley says the reductions to non-discretionary research spending could equal as much as $22 million dollars. The organization’s budget for research, education, outreach programs and the faculty practice totals $800 million.

Connie Seeley is a senior Vice President for Public Affairs at OHSU. She calls the hiring freeze a cautionary move, driven by three factors. First, she says, claims at OHSU originating from Oregon’s PERS retirement system are projected to increase a little over $20 million dollars in the next fiscal year. The organization also expects to receive less money for services under the state and federal health care changes.

“We’re working very hard with all our partners,” Seeley said, “to make health care reform a reality, but it does have an impact.”

Further, Seeley says OHSU is concerned about $33 million in budget cuts on the way under sequestration, most of it reductions to research funding.

Seeley says the freeze will be in effect for at least the next four months, maybe longer.

This story originally appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting.