The University of Vermont Health Network

On National Rural Health Day, I want to recognize the employees of The University of Vermont Health Network – and all those who work in rural health care everywhere. You are the faces of rural health, caring for your family, friends and neighbors. No matter your job title, you are part of a vital system of care that people need and trust. You are an essential part of your community, and of every community we serve. It’s important to keep the conversation going about the systemic challenges rural health care providers face, and the health disparities we continue to see among patients in rural areas. But it’s equally important that we honor the extraordinary skill, passion and commitment of the people of our health system – and of hospitals and health systems across the country. People in rural areas deserve the best possible care, and you are making that happen. You are making a difference, every day. Thank you. #NationalRuralHealthDay #RuralHealth

Join UVMHN Chief External Relations Officer Jason Williams tomorrow on a panel hosted by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) that looks the current state of health care here in Vermont, and what can be done to build a right-sized solution for the state. Register at: https://lnkd.in/eDwGFEc6

We are moving forward with reductions to administrative and clinical services to comply with Vermont state budget orders and enforcement actions issued by the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), the health care regulator in Vermont. These actions will have both an immediate and long-term impact on patients served in the region and, based on current information, will ultimately result in a workforce reduction estimated to be as many as 200 people who currently serve the health care system, including both employed staff and temporary/travel staff. Changes will take place both immediately and over the next several months. Patients will be informed when the timelines and care transitions for impacted services are clear. Below are the decisions we’re announcing today: - Reduce the number of patients who stay overnight at University of Vermont Medical Center from approximately 450 to 400 and limit regional incoming non-emergency patient transfers. - Eliminate Surgical Renal Transplants at University of Vermont Medical Center and collaborate with Dartmouth Health on care alternatives. University of Vermont Medical Center performed approximately a dozen kidney transplants this year. -End University of Vermont Health Network staffing and operation of kidney dialysis clinics outside of our primary service areas in Vermont, impacting approximately 220 patients across three clinics. - Consolidate Some Family Medicine and Rehabilitation clinics that are part of Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC), which should not impact access to CVMC-run primary care services for existing patients. - Close the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at CVMC, which has had an average daily census of approximately eight patients, due to capacity challenges. - More than $18 million in administrative expense cuts, with reductions in expenses, open positions and employees. For more information, please read the full press release on this subject: https://lnkd.in/ef5hG3YQ

“If the state works with health care providers to ensure every Vermonter gets the right care, when they need it, in the right setting, we can save untold millions of dollars. This is the quickest path to affordability, aside from growing our population of working Vermonters and tax base. Instead, recent [Green Mountain Care Board] budget decisions penalized University of Vermont Medical Center for providing more lifesaving care to our patients last year than allowed, even though the net financial result of that care caused us to lose money. As Vermonters, we face an important decision: will the path forward be defined by the rapid erosion of our safety net health care system, or will we demand actions that foster the stability necessary to build a stronger, more sustainable system of care?” Jason Williams, UVM Health Network’s chief external relations officer, on what’s at stake for the future of health care in Vermont and the pressing need for meaningful partnerships to deliver sustainable solutions.

Michael Dufort: Right to the Drums "There’s so much you can do with just a couple of sticks in your hands. On a very primal level, I like the different sound things make when you hit them and when you hit them with different amounts of force. I just think the way it varies is so cool. And I like how having various drums or percussion going fills out the sound of a band. I was a very big listener of music as a young child. I have older siblings who were always playing rock music, playing the radio, playing records, and I skipped over that little-kid music phase. I got right into, for example, Billy Joel when I was about 4 or 5. And I used to look at the band and know I wanted to do it. Drums were always something I picked out in songs. Everything I heard went right to the drums. And there are a few songs that really stick with me and inspire me as a percussionist. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2 is one of the first songs I remember hearing as a kid and noticing the drum intro. The late Neil Peart from Rush is one of my drumming idols. I finally saw them live for the first time in college with a bunch of friends and often think of “Spirit of Radio.” I heard “Barrel of a Gun” by Guster for the first time in college and thought it was cool that their drummer exclusively played hand drums rather than a conventional drum set. And “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin is simultaneously one of the hardest drum beats to master – and most fun to play. After college, life got busy, and music slipped away for a while. I moved back to Malone in 2012 to help care for my Dad after he became ill. I went down to my cousin’s house to catch up with him and some friends and he said, “Hey, let’s jam.” It just came right back, and I’ve been in probably five or six bands since I’ve been back. Right now, I play in a band called Bluebird a few times a month. Music brought my family together. My wife and I have six kids between us, and everyone plays an instrument. It was our love of music that bonded us. And it will always be there for me and the people I love." Michael Dufort, RPh, FACA, is the director of pharmacy at Alice Hyde Medical Center. He’s been with us since 2013.

As part of Governor Scott’s Capital for a Day in Chittenden County, our leaders had an opportunity to join state leaders and our community partners for a discussion about the challenges we face in meeting our community’s health care needs, as well as highlight positive progress through collaboration, in Chittenden County. The event was hosted at UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice and featured UVMMC President Steve Leffler, MD, UVM - HHH President, Christine Werneke, MS and Jessica Moschella, SVP High Value Care for UVMHN.

As part of ongoing efforts to manage crucial IV fluid supplies during a national shortage, UVM Health Network will reschedule certain elective procedures that require large amounts of IV and sterile irrigation fluid, starting this Friday. Patient safety will be the top priority in assessing each case, and patients will be contacted if their procedure is affected. Elective procedures scheduled from Friday, October 25, through Friday, November 1, that typically use large volumes of IV and sterile irrigation fluid will be canceled and rescheduled. Procedures will be evaluated based on urgency and patient safety. Not all procedures will be delayed – patients should continue to arrive for procedures and appointments as scheduled unless contacted by their provider. We are continuously monitoring and adjusting to the situation as cleanup efforts continue at a major IV fluid production facility in North Carolina, which was flooded by Hurricane Helene, causing a nationwide shortage of IV fluid.

Summer Collette: A Better Way "I’d be lying if I said I’ve been a die-hard environmentalist my whole life. But every day in the operating room, we use a lot of medical supplies: gowns, sutures, gloves, masks, drapes and countless other materials – all in the delicate care of our patients. Much of it is destined for the landfill, including medical supplies that have expired but could otherwise still serve a purpose. Years of watching all this material turn to waste changed something in me. I knew there had to be a better way, a way to be better stewards of the environment and the resources we use to care for our patients. A visit to my surgical colleagues at UVM Medical Center opened my eyes to a new possibility: We should donate this waste to people in need. UVM Medical Center was already working with Partners for World Health, a nonprofit organization that collects medical equipment and supplies for disadvantaged communities. It clicked for me: The waste we were creating at Porter could become something meaningful to people far beyond our operating room walls. This concept lit a fire in me, and I knew I needed to push for a change. So I started squirreling away everything I could. Early this year, Porter donated its first truck full of expired surgical supplies to Partners for World Health. Since then, units from across Porter are now talking about how they, too, can collect and donate supplies. It feels like we are all in this together, working in our own corners of this health system, trying to make things better. Breaking out of old habits has been an important lesson for me. We can always do things better. As the saying goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.”" Summer Collette is a surgical technologist at Porter Medical Center. She’s been with us nearly 20 years. Summer's story is part of The Mosaic Project, a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health Network.

There is currently a nationwide shortage of IV fluids after Hurricane Helene damaged a facility that produces around 60% of the country’s supply. Cleanup is expected to take months. In the meantime, while other facilities and companies ramp up production, we and many other hospitals are receiving only a percentage of the IV fluid orders we normally receive. Our primary aim is to limit the effect that the IV fluid shortage has on patient care. Right now, our guidelines are focused on not using IV fluids when they are unnecessary and limiting how much we use when it is unavoidable. Patients may experience minor changes to their care – specifically, specifically, when safe and appropriate, rehydration fluids and some medications may be administered orally rather than through an IV. No surgical procedures have been cancelled at this time. Patients should arrive for procedures as scheduled unless they are contacted by their provider.

We are honored to be named a 2023 Frontline Healthcare Worker Champion by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions! This prestigious award was recently accepted by Jerry Baake and Megan Foster, members of our workforce development team, at the SHIFT Toward an Equitable Future conference in Memphis. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. It highlights our commitment to investing in our workforce, ensuring our employees have the opportunities and resources they need to grow and succeed. From internal training programs and partnerships with area colleges to tuition support and flexible work arrangements, we are proud to foster an environment where our staff can thrive. Read more about our work here: https://lnkd.in/eVWki7f9