Message From the CEO

Mike Del Trecco

As Vermont hospitals and staff continue to work and serve their patients and communities, it can be difficult to comprehend the violence taking place in our communities, I am saddened by the recent news in a New Hampshire hospital that hit so close to home—confirming fears expressed by our Vermont health care workers about the threat of violence in our hospitals.

All this occurs amid war overseas and growing resentment between ethic groups both here and abroad.

It's hard to imagine sitting down to a happy Thanksgiving feast.

But this is an opportunity to take a breather, spend time with family, be thankful for all that we have and regroup to work to build a better future as communities and a state.

Underneath the headlines, there is so much good work going on and Vermonters are taking care of one another. Hospitals are working with food pantries this Thanksgiving, and those food shelves are serving more people than usual. Of course, as always, our health care workers continue to report for work and care for patients, whether disinfecting rooms, stitching wounds or conducting MRIs. There's a lot to be thankful for.

Let us carry this spirit forward as we go into the holiday season.

Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving,

Top Stories

Suspect and victim dead after shooting at New Hampshire State Hospital in Concord

CBS

A suspect and victim are both dead after a shooting at New Hampshire State Hospital in Concord Friday afternoon. Police say the situation is now "contained" and all patients at the hospital are safe.

"Today an active shooter situation occurred at the New Hampshire State Hospital and was contained to the front lobby," New Hampshire State Police Col. Mark Hall said. "There is no active shooter threat to the public. The scene remains active, as one suspicious vehicle has been located."

The victim has been identified as 63-year-old Bradley Haas of Franklin, New Hampshire.

He was a retired police chief, that was working as a security guard at the hospital according to N.H. Attorney General.

The AG also said that police examined the truck, and determined it was not a safety risk.

Watch

Vermont May Be the Face of a Long-Term U.S. Labor Shortage

NYTimes

At Lake Champlain Chocolates, the owners take shifts stacking boxes in the warehouse. At Burlington Bagel Bakery, a sign in the window advertises wages starting at $25 an hour. Central Vermont Medical Center is training administrative employees to become nurses. Cabot Creamery is bringing workers from out of state to package its signature blocks of Cheddar cheese.

The root of the staffing challenge is simple: Vermont’s population is rapidly aging. More than a fifth of Vermonters are 65 or older, and more than 35 percent are over 54, the age at which Americans typically begin to exit the work force. No state has a smaller share of its residents in their prime working years.

Vermont offers an early look at where the rest of the country could be headed.

Vermont Health Care Workers Are Grappling With Unprecedented Workplace Violence

Seven Days

The people who work in Vermont's busiest emergency department have been punched in the face. They've been bitten, stabbed with kitchen shears and battered with metal food trays. They've had their lips split open, noses broken and eyes blackened.

Working in an emergency room always comes with risk. But as hospitals have absorbed the swell of humanity ill-served by so many other struggling systems of care, staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center say they have endured violence of a severity and frequency that is unprecedented — and unsustainable. The escalating threats have led many to consider leaving their jobs. Some already have.

Emergency department workers began raising alarms during the pandemic about the dangers they face.

State health officials not expecting a surge in COVID hospitalizations this winter

Vermont Public

The cold weather is returning, which means a lot of Vermonters are spending more time indoors.

State health officials say the threat of COVID remains quite low in the state. At the same time — there are indications that the current dominant strain of the virus is more contagious, with less severe symptoms than many previous strains.

So what’s the outlook for this winter?

Jenn Jarecki: It's hard to believe, Bob, but we're approaching year four with COVID in our lives, and at times the threat of the virus has been severe, and other times it's been more mild. Where do things stand today in Vermont?

Bob Kinzel: Isn't it amazing that it's been four years — it kind of feels like about a decade. But in any case, Vermont health officials say we're at a low rating at this time.

Listen

UnitedHealth sued for allegedly using AI to deny elderly patients care

FOX 17

UnitedHealth Group is being sued for allegedly using an artificial intelligence algorithm to systematically deny elderly patients rehabilitative care.

The class action lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Minnesota district court, says the defendants — UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthCare and NaviHealth — illegally used an AI model called nH Predict in place of medical professionals despite knowing it had a 90% error rate. This helped the group continuously deny Medicare Advantage Plan patients the care their doctors said was necessary, such as nursing facility stays, by "predicting" what a patient "should" require instead of what they actually do, the lawsuit states.

It also says the defendants intentionally limited "their employees' discretion to deviate" from nH Predict, forcing them to meet dedicated targets of use or be disciplined and terminated.

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Letter to the Editor: UVM Medical Center's Challenges are our challenges too

Portable Hospital demonstration successful at Rutland Regional Medical Center

Q&A: Northwestern Medical Center volunteer spotlight, Bonnie Evans

Green Mountain Care Board hears local health care woes

Lamoille Health Partners pursues holistic vision

AHA podcast: The Must Do's for Welcoming a New CEO

Why the UVM Health Network has ditched lead aprons during X-rays

From Our Hospitals

Deborah Luskin: Grace Cottage is a highly successful model for delivering health care in a rural area

VTDigger

The Green Mountain Care Board is conducting Community Conversations about “Vermont’s healthcare system to support hospital transformation.”

I recently participated in the one scheduled for Grace Cottage Family Health and Hospital in Townshend. For two hours, residents of rural Windham County testified to the extraordinary way medical services are delivered at Grace Cottage. It was a remarkable expression of gratitude and pride for an institution that delivers essential health care services to the rural community it serves. And for good reason.

People can access a lot of primary care in Townshend, including pediatrics, adult medicine, gerontology, hospice, mental health, and substance abuse treatment.

RRMC Health Talk: Rural Health Day

Rutland Herald

Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center is proud to join communities across America in celebration of National Rural Health Day on Nov. 16. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and rural-focused organizations throughout the United States set aside the third Thursday of November to recognize this important day. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor the individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique health care needs of nearly 61 million people living in rural America.

A talented, qualified, engaged and diverse workforce is at the heart of Vermont’s health care infrastructure. We honor the many health professionals caring for the more than 400,000 people living, working and playing in our vibrant rural communities.

Mark Your Calendar

Breastfeeding for New Parents