In the News
Vermont Hospitals Submit Annual Budget Requests
WAMC

The annual review of Vermont’s non-profit hospital budget requests has begun.

The budget plans were filed with the Green Mountain Care Board, which reviews and approves the annual fiscal requests.

The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems says most hospitals lost revenues after being required to stop elective procedures and incurring unplanned expenses this spring due to the pandemic. The association says member hospitals received federal grants of just over $134 million but losses total $221 million.

Public hearings on the budget requests begin August 18th.
How Vermont And New Hampshire Are Keeping Coronavirus At Bay
WBUR

As Massachusetts fights to control upticks in the coronavirus, a few other New England states, like Vermont, are reporting steady COVID-19 positive case numbers.

Some states, such as New Hampshire, are even reporting declines in their positive cases as they continue cautiously re-opening their economies.

Two state health commissioners from New England — Mark Levine of Vermont and Lori Shibinette of New Hampshire — joined WBUR's Morning Edition to talk about why their states are faring well while others falter.

Here are highlights from the interview, lightly edited for clarity.
Entire staff of MAHHC honored as August 2020 Employees of the Month
Vermont Business Magazine

Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) has announced that its entire staff of employees at all locations have been named as Employees of the Month for August 2020. The monthly award recognizes employees who have demonstrated sustained service excellence in their respective departments and have displayed compassion, a caring approach, and continuous hard work within their community.

According to Dr. Joseph Perras, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer, the staff at all locations earned the award together, a first, thanks to their teamwork and dedication to patient safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “The arrival of the novel coronavirus was a tremendous stress to our entire organization and to our communities,” he explained. “I am proud to say that all of my colleagues stepped up to the challenge, and they did it together, working side by side with stamina, flexibility and ingenuity.”
'We can open schools safely': Vermont education leaders push for in-person instruction
My NBC 5

With less than a month until Vermont's public schools are required to open their academic year, state leadership is offering new guidance for districts.

In guidance released earlier this summer, public schools had three options to meet the Sept. 8 reopening deadline — remote, hybrid or in-person learning. But Gov. Phil Scott and state health leaders on Monday pushed for a return to in-person education, especially for younger students.

"The conditions of Vermont support a return to in-person instruction," Scott said.

Nearly all schools to announce a reopening plan thus far have opted for a hybrid model.

NVRH offers Health Care Shares for second year
North Star Monthly

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital is once again partnering with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corp to offer Health Care Shares, a farm-to-hospital public health program that connects Vermonters with fresh healthy local food.

Participants receive a large bag of locally grown produce each week for 12 weeks. The participants in the program were referred by their healthcare provider, by the NVRH Community Connections staff, or recruited by hospital staff. Thirty families are participating this year, up from twenty last year.

According to Vermont Department of Health data, only 23 percent of teens and 18 percent of adults in Caledonia County get the recommended number of fruits and vegetables each day.

“The connection between good nutrition and overall good health is clear”, said Laural Ruggles, NVRH vice president of marketing and community health improvement. “Getting enough healthy food to eat is important to a person’s physical health, and emotional and mental well-being.”

Hospitals in the News
Mark Your Calendars
Thursday August, 20, 12:00 p.m.
Zoom Webinar

Save the Date 9/24/20, 3 to 4:30 p.m.:
VAHHS Annual Meeting 2020 (Virtual)