GLENS FALLS — Even the health care field is not exempt from furloughs.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network is furloughing 85 people, beginning Monday, because patient load has dropped roughly by half since the pandemic began.

This does not affect Adirondack Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, a medical practice with locations in Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, which plans to join Hudson Headwaters this summer.

The employees are non-clinical staff.

As doctors turn to telemedicine in the pandemic, non-clinical staff aren’t needed as much.

“It is directly related to the lack of patients actually coming into the health centers due to appointments that have been moved out by months,” said spokeswoman Jane Hooper.

In-person appointments are currently being scheduled for July, but Hudson Headwaters has not said whether furloughs will end then.

“We do not know how long this will last,” Hooper said.

The decision comes in a year in which Hudson Headwaters was poised for great celebrations: It had just completed its new Moreau Family Health and OB-GYN buildings, was working on new urgent care and primary care buildings in Glens Falls and was picking out RVs for a new mobile health care initiative.

Now, everything is on hold.

During the furlough, Hudson Headwaters will pay the full premium cost of health, dental and life insurance benefits for each employee. But furloughed employees will not receive their pay.

Even the health care field is not exempt from furloughs.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network is furloughing 85 people, beginning Monday, because patient load has dropped roughly by half since the pandemic began.

The employees are non-clinical staff.

As doctors turn to telemedicine in the pandemic, non-clinical staff aren’t needed as much.

“It is directly related to the lack of patients actually coming into the health centers due to appointments that have been moved out by months,” said spokeswoman Jane Hooper.

In-person appointments are currently being scheduled for July, but Hudson Headwaters has not said whether furloughs will end then.

“We do not know how long this will last,” Hooper said.

The decision comes in a year in which Hudson Headwaters was poised for great celebrations: It had just completed its new Moreau Family Health and OB-GYN buildings, was working on new urgent care and primary care buildings in Glens Falls and was picking out RVs for a new mobile health care initiative.

Now, everything is on hold.

During the furlough, Hudson Headwaters will pay the full premium cost of health, dental and life insurance benefits for each employee. But furloughed employees will not receive their pay.

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Enterprise Managing Editor Peter Crowley contributed to this report