Veteran trauma surgeon among 250 laid off from UMMC
Credit: WAPT
Duration: 02:26s
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DR. SYKES TOLD US HE SPENTALMOST 4 YEARS TREATING TRAUMAPATIENT AND SAVINGLIVES AT THIS HOSPITAL.HE SAYS HE'S DISAPPOINTED BY THETREATMENT HE RECEIVED HIS LASTDAY ON TJOB."WELL I MEAN IT'S SURREAL I MEANYOU CAN'T BELIEVE ANY OF THIS ISHAPPENING."MOMENTS AFTER HE WAS TOLD HISCONTRACTUMMC WOULD NOT BE RENEWED,VETERANTRAUMA SURGEON DR. LEON SYKESSAYS HWEDNESDAY MEETING WITH THE HUMANRESOURCES DIRECTOR TURNEDHOSTILE WHENHE TRIED TO SPEAK."SHE STOOD UP ABRUPTLY ANDSAID THIS MEETING IS OVER ANDCALLED SECURITY AND THEN AT THATPOINT I SAID OKAY."DR. SYKES, WHO SPENT NEARLY 4YEARSUMMC, SAYS HE QUICKLY GATHEREDUP HBELONGINGS FROM HIS OFFICE ANDHEADED TOTHE PARKING GARAGE TO LEAVE.
HESAYS THE HR DIRECTOR WAS RIGHTBEHIND HIM."SHE FOLLOWED ME THE WHOLE WTALKING WITH SECURITY ON THEPHONE AS I WAS LEAVING FOLLOWEDME ACTUALLYLITERALLY INTO THE PARKINGGARAGE TO MY CAR." BEFORE HECOULD LEAVE DR. SYKES SAYSCAMPUS SECURITY ASKED TO SEARCHHISCAR TO MAKE SURE HE WASN'TSTEALISOMETHING FROM THE HOSPITAL.
"ISAID THAT'S FINE AND THEY DIDANDTHEN MY KEYS WERE TAKEN FROM MEAND MY ID AND THEY TOLD METHAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OFTHE MEETING IF I RETURN TO THEMEDICAL CENTER I COULD BESUBJECTTO CHARGESDR. SYKES IS AMONG 250 EMPLOYEESTHE HOSPITAL LAID OFF BECAUSEIT'S FACING A$100 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.ADMINISTRATORS ANNOUNCED LASTWEEKALL FACULTY AND STAFF WHO MAKEMORE THAN$100,000 WOULD TAKE A 10 PERCENTPAY CUT FOTHREE MONTHS.DR. SYKES HAS BEEN A TRAUMASURGEON FOR35 YEARS.
HE SAYS HE'S TRIPLEBOARD-CERTIFIEWE ASKED THE THE LONG TIMEPHYSICIAWHY BELIEVES HE WAS LET GO.
"YOUTHINK IT WAS ABOUT MONEY?
YEAHYEAH I MEAN THERE'S NOTHINGWRONG WITH THE WAY THAT I DID MYJOB AS PROFICIENT AS I'VE EVERBEENAND SO YEAH I MEAN THAT'S ITIT'SMONEY.
WE REACHED OUT TO THE HOSPITALTO GET THEIR RESPONSE TO WHATDR. SYKES HAD TO SAY.I SPOKE TO HIM AND SAYS THOSEMEETINGS ARE CONFIDENTIAL ANDTHCOULDN'T COMMENT.ROSS ADAMS 16 WAPT NEWS.
A MUCH QUIETER AFTERNOON IN TH