Colfax hospital reduces staff hours to weather financial crisis

COLFAX–With Gov. Jay Inslee's order for hospitals to suspend non-essential services, local hospitals are tightening their financial belts in preparation of the shutdown impacting their bottom line.

"Just like everybody, we're going to have to take a hit," Whitman Hospital and Medical Center spokeswoman Laurie Gronning said.

Rural hospitals are seeing very few coronavirus cases. Elective medical procedures have been shutdown. And rural residents have been told to stay away from clinics and hospitals.

Last week, the hospital responded by cutting some employees' hours.

Gronning estimated about 10...