WARREN, Ohio – Administrators at Insight Hospital & Medical Center Trumbull learned Friday that they no longer have a job.

Tom Connelly, president of ASFCME Local 2026, which represents about 185 members at the Warren hospital, said the union learned about the discharge of the administrators Friday, the same day employees did not receive their latest paychecks.

Administrators reportedly losing their jobs Friday afternoon include the director of nursing, assistant director of nursing, the human resources coordinator and administrative secretary.

Connelly said the union has received notification from human resources that an Ohio WARN Act notice is being invoked.

With both the Warren hospital and Insight Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside in Howland abruptly closing this week, employees have been left without much explanation – as well as their most recent paychecks.

Connelly said he awaits word from ASFCME Ohio Council 8 about how this will affect the members of the bargaining unit and the effort to get that information to the members, none of which are at work as Insight has paused services over the past two weeks.

A membership meeting should occur sometime early next week, Connelly said, and at that point he hopes to have more answers about whether people can expect the last paycheck, the week that would have been on the next paycheck, payout for vacation time or any other money going forward.

“[Insight] left all of my members in the dark and all of us just reeling as news floats in on bits and pieces,” Connelly said. 

Both Trumbull County facilities were the only Ohio hospitals that were part of the Steward Health Care Systems bankruptcy. Steward filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 6, 2024, and the restructuring process remains ongoing in a Houston federal court. Insight Health was able to acquire the local hospitals in Warren and Howland in late October.

Connelly said employees were hopeful at that time.

“They threw us a rope because we were drowning, and then when we finally pulled it on board, there was an anchor on the end of it,” Connelly said.

In recent statements explaining its decision to pause services, Insight has claimed Steward continues to withhold payments for services rendered at the hospitals, and Insight was unable to reach an agreement with a third-party transition services agreement company, which bought the rights to process billing and patient records from Steward through the bankruptcy.

Connelly said he has doubts when Insight suggests the hospital will reopen services because he isn’t sure who will still be willing to trust them to work there.

Deb Bindas, regional director of AFSCME Ohio Council 8, confirmed Friday morning that employees didn’t receive their scheduled paychecks.

According to the Ohio Nurses Association, payroll is being processed late.

“The dedicated health care professionals who have served this community with skill and compassion are being met with silence, confusion and blatant disregard from Insight Health,” an ONA spokesperson said in a statement.

“Insight has had every opportunity to handle this transition responsibly, but instead, they’ve abandoned patients and health care workers alike,” said De Anna Fuchilla, chair of the Hillside Local Unit of the ONA, AFT. “This hospital is a lifeline for our community, and its closure is devastating. Workers deserve answers, and patients deserve better than being rushed out the door.”

According to the ONA, Hillside was emptied as of 8:45 p.m. Thursday, discharging its last patient. Partway through the day Thursday, Insight announced it was closing the emergency room at the Warren hospital at 3 p.m.

“This isn’t just about our members – it’s about the entire community,” said Rick Lucas, president of the ONA, AFT. “Patients are losing access to essential care and health care workers are being tossed with no plan. We expect Insight to do the right thing and meet their obligations, and we won’t stop fighting until they do.”

On Friday, the ONA issued a list of demands, which include that Insight follow the collective bargaining agreement, provide health care coverage and severance for employees, provide layoff notices and confirm employees will be paid and payrolls will be processed in a timely manner.

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-14th, issued a statement Friday morning offering to work with local officials in light of the closure.

“In Congress, I have always fought for access to quality health care in communities across my district,” Joyce said. “I am incredibly disappointed to hear the news that Insight is planning to close [the former] Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in [Trumbull County]. At this time, I am dedicated to working with local officials and health care providers to ensure residents in the area will have access to the health care they deserve.”

The ONA questions how Insight Health continues to operate its other hospitals in Flint, Mich., and Chicago, Ill., while shuttering its facilities in Ohio.

Pictured at top: Insight Hospital & Medical Center Trumbull in Warren.