Legislative Update
Devon Green, VP of Government Relations

Going into this week, the big thing on my mind is the House Judiciary Committee’s discussion on the violence against health care workers bill, S.36. The Committee has had wide-ranging discussion and is grappling with how best to protect health care providers and patients. This is a difficult topic, and VAHHS appreciates their work.
 
Workplace Violence: The House Judiciary Committee heard from several witnesses with concerns over how S.36, which allows for warrantless arrest for certain misdemeanors would apply to a patient who is not stabilized. Advocates testified that patients might not seek treatment if they are in fear of being arrested. The committee is interested in narrowing the scope of the bill. There will likely be an amended version and further discussion this week.
 
Workforce: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard testimony last week on two workforce development bills. Bill H. 473 allows radiologist assistants to work with remote supervision. The committee discussed whether remote supervision should only happen in-state. The psychology interjurisdictional compact bill, H.282, allows telepsychology and the ability to provide in-person services for 30 days.
 
Data Privacy: The House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development heard testimony on the Attorney General’s data privacy bill, H.121. There are three components of the bill: (1) data minimization; (2) data brokers; and (3) biometric identifiers. After VAHHS testimony earlier in the session calling for an exemption of HIPPA-covered entities, the latest version of the bill includes an exemption for HIPAA-protected data or information intermingled with or treated in the same manner as HIPPA-protected data. After hearing concerns from several witnesses, the committee is likely to come back to the bill next year. 
 
Vaccines: The Senate Government Operations Committee took up H.305, the Office of Professional Regulations bill, and considered a provision that would allow pharmacists to vaccinate children 5 years and older for influenza or SARS-CoV and provide successor or combination vaccinations as designated by the commissioner of health after consultation with the director of the Office of Professional Regulation.
Top Stories
UVM study finds declining breast cancer screening rates for at-risk women
Vermont Public

Back in 2009, a panel of independent health care experts changed its guidelines on breast cancer screenings to recommend that women begin getting routine mammograms at age 50, instead of 40.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also noted “insufficient evidence” for screening women aged 75 and older.

Flash forward to today — a recent study from the University of Vermont Cancer Center finds that at-risk women across America are getting far fewer mammograms than they did 15 years ago…

The study also found that Vermont has seen the second largest decline of any state in the union.
Hospital grapples with security and recruitment
Rutland Herald

Rutland Regional Medical Center is working to hire more staff and keep them safer once they’re on the job, hospital leadership said this week.

RRMC held its annual meeting in the hospital’s Leahy Conference Room on Wednesday — the first time since the pandemic that the meeting has been held in-person. A staffing gap was listed as one of the chief challenges before the hospital, and workplace safety was listed as a factor in staff retention and as one of the other challenges facing the organization in general.

Judi Fox, who stepped in as interim CEO after the resignation of Claudio Fort, said the need for services last year was “extremely high,” first with the omicron variant of COVID-19 dominating hospitalizations and then with patients showing up looking for care that had been postponed during the pandemic.
Bennington hospital considers building new inpatient psych unit for kids
WCAX

As demand for inpatient mental health treatment for kids skyrockets, a Bennington hospital is exploring whether it has the means to open a new psychiatric care unit.

In partnership with the Vermont Mental Health Department, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is conducting a feasibility study right now.

Last year, the UVM Health Network proposed building a new pediatric psychiatric unit at the children’s hospital, but leaders backed out, citing budget cuts. That’s when SVMC stepped in.

After examining their facility for months, Planning Director James Trimarchi says hospital leaders have identified a site on the Bennington campus where they could fit 12 beds, plus support spaces like sensory and counseling rooms.
Several Vermont hospitals loosen masking restrictions for patients and staff
VTDigger

Patients and employees at University of Vermont Health Network’s three Vermont hospitals will no longer be required to wear masks in public spaces beginning April 12, the organization announced Thursday.

The change will affect the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin and Porter Medical Center in Middlebury.

Dartmouth Health also announced a rollback of its masking requirements for patients, visitors and staff at all of its affiliated offices effective April 10. That includes Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor and the network’s flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Other News
Mark Your Calendar
Save the date for the 2023 Annual Meeting, Community Connections: September 21 and 22. If you missed the 2022 event, catch the break-out session on diversity, equity and
inclusion here.