InterMed To Furlough Health Care Workers Following Surgery Cancellations

Maine Public | By Fred Bever

Published March 26, 2020 at 4:04 PM EDT

After canceling elective surgeries to prepare for a surge in coronavirus cases, a major southern Maine physicians group is furloughing an unspecified number of employees, while 70 physician-owners will work without pay.

InterMed spokesperson John Lamb says the group's facilities will remain open for the evaluation, testing and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, as well as other essential health services and telemedicine. Lamb says the group hopes to bring workers back once the pandemic subsides, but declined other comment.

InterMed operates facilities in Portland, South Portland and Yarmouth.

Updated 4:54 p.m. March 26, 2020

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Fred Bever

A Columbia University graduate, Fred began his journalism career as a print reporter in Vermont, then came to Maine Public in 2001 as its political reporter, as well as serving as a host for a variety of Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television programs. Fred later went on to become news director for New England Public Radio in Western Massachusetts and worked as a freelancer for National Public Radio and a number of regional public radio stations, including WBUR in Boston and NHPR in New Hampshire.

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