JULY/AUGUST 2012

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2012 Recognition Dinner Years Serving The Community

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital held its annual recognition dinner for employees on Thursday evening, June 28th at The Sherburne Base Lodge on Burke Mountain. People were recognized for years of service as well as certifications they earned over the past year. Paul Bengtson, CEO, was the Master of Ceremonies. As usual, he hosted the evening with humor and warmth. Approximately 150 people attended. Said Bengtson, “I’m always pleased with this evening; we are deeply grateful for all that our employees and volunteers do to make NVRH the community hospital that it is. 2012 is the 40th anniversary of the hospital and we also celebrate 12 employees and volunteers who have been at the hospital for 40 years, which is exceptional.” Five Years of Service: Access Department: Joah Hahr, Christine Tacinelli,; Birth Center: Nancy Raie; Corner Medical: Joyce Lemieux, Kelly Lovelette, Michelle Stevens, Day Surgery: Ashley Allen; Diagnostic Imaging: Julio Moran; Emergency Department: Terri Therrien; Finance: Susan Sanborn; Food Service: Susan Lebel; Laboratory: Erica Butterfield, Dana Kennedy, Nancy Pellegrino; Medical Records: Margaret Brown, Valerie Houde; Medical Staff: Elizabeth Bengtson, MD, Andrew Goodwin, MD, Michael Hayes, MD, Susan Olsen, MD; MedSurg: Erlene Cassidy, RN; Tisha Leo, Patient Business Services: Robin Morin; Plant Operations: Douglas Hume; St. J Pediatrics: Lisa Cote, Laurie Despins, LPN, Tori Guibord Morse; Trustee: James Newell, Thomas Paul, Esq., Deborah Yonker, RN, Volunteer Coordinator: Patricia Forest, Volunteer Services: Belinda Bernier, Gary Bernier, Alice Grossman, Dona Jackson, Hartley Jackson, Elsie Lawrence, Florence Rankin, Joan Wollrath. continued 

In this issue of The BrightLook  Dr. John Elliott Community Service Award  Leading a Compassionate Life  NVRH Hosts Local Print Artist, Mary Simpson  Breastfeeding Week August 1-7  Twins Visit NVRH  Admiring the Courtyard Flowers and CSA  Better Breathers Club Starts at NVRH  Lory Grimes is New Director of Physican Practices  NVRH Mammography Dept. Earns Re-certification  A Ton of Laundry - Literally!  Relay for Life 2012

40 Years at NVRH! Front: Simone Mason, Rosalie Harris, Beulah McGinnis, Jean Lund, Elaine Jewell. Back: Jo Anne Choiniere, Dot McCauley, Linda Wells, Christine Douglas, Sheila Delworth, Sandra Tardiff. Missing: David Toll, MD

 Sleep Center Joint Venture  NVRH Partnership with the CDC  Dr. Allison Ciolino, New Pathologist and Laboratory Medical Director  St. Johnsbury Area Profiled as Health Innovators  Summer 2012 Upward Bound  Improving Customer Service in the NVRH Pharmacy  Jill Kaspar Finishes Up Rotation at Corner Medical  Ella Kelsey, Hospital Controller, Passes Two Certifications  MedQuest at NVRH  Security Enhancements

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 Behavioral Health Corner - Summer Melodies  Linda Lockwood, SPD Manager Retires  A+ Standard of Caring - May 2012 The BrightLook is a monthly publication for NVRH employees, volunteers, physicians, corporators and board members. Our next deadline is September 5, 2012 for the September issue. Please contact Hilary De Carlo at ext. 7303 if you have an article or picture(s) to submit.

Ten Years of Service:

Associate of Science Degree in Nursing Marilee Norcross, Kathy Butterfield

Access: Cynthia Mayhew; Information Services: Gary Guion; Medical Staff: Jay Dege, MD, Philip Lawson, MD, Craig Schein, DPM; Med-Surg: Loretta Merrell, LPN, Yvette St. Hilaire, RN; Nutrition & Food Service: Sharon Anderson; Patient Business Services: Theresa Rivers; SPD: Pamela Eastman; Specialty Clinics: Jody Sylvain; Tobacco Cessation: Rose Sheehan; Quality Management: Donna Morris; Volunteer Services: Estelle Burton, Vita Sbarra, Carol Washburn, John Washburn; Womens Wellness: Kathleen Kerber, LPN.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Alexis Harper Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services Marissa Brink Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Sharon Baker, RN Master of Science Degree in Nursing Sharon Mallett, RN

Fifteen Years of Service: Diagnostic Imaging: Mark Rosengren, Tammy Thresher; Kingdom Internal Medicine: Cheryl Chesley, RN; Laboratory: Erin Perkins; Medical Staff: Thomas Broderick, DO, Christopher Danielson, DO, Sharon Fine, MD; Patient Business Services: Sarah Morgan.

Board Certified, Med-Surg Certification Edna Niles, RN, Yvette St. Hilaire, RN, Christine Thompson, RN, Darlene Fountain, RN. Certified Instrument Specialist Diana Baugh-Lopez

Twenty Years of Service: Emergency Department: Susan Duckett, RN, Sarah Springsteen, RN; Intensive Care Unit: Judy Thielman, RN; Medical Records: Marilyn Chamberlin; Medical Staff: Susan Gresser, MD, Karyn Patno, MD; Surgical Services: Marylou Miller, RN; Volunteer Services: Alice Carpenter, Marilyn Moulton.

Certified Registered Central Service Technician Wendy Corrow Certified Registered Professional in Health Care Risk Management Colleen Sinon, RN

Twenty-Five Years of Service: Corner Medical: Mary Howland, LPN; Laboratory: Carew Magnus; Materials Management: Donna Racine; Medical Staff: Richard Kozlowski, DDS; Nursing Administration: Veronica Hychalk, RN; Patient Business Services: Mindy Vigeant.

Fitter-Mastectomy Certification Deborah Morse, LPN

Thirty Years of Service:

Master of Science Degree in Nursing and Nursing Staff Development Certification Carol Hodges

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor Rose Sheehan

Medical Staff: Richard Gagnon, MD; Womens Wellness: Megan Haygood, NP; Quality Management: Julie Roslund.

Forty Years of Service:

Medical Terminology Certification Karen Badurski

Access: Sandra Tardiff; Cardiac Rehab: Christine Douglas, RN; Day Surgery: Linda Wells, RN; Finance: Jean Lund; Nutrition and Food Service: Sheila Delworth; Medical Staff: David Toll, MD; Med-Surg: Jo Anne Choiniere, LPN, Simone Mason, LPN; Nursing Administration: Elaine Jewell, RN; Volunteer Services: Rosalie Harris, Dot McCauley, Beulah McGinnis.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification Logan Pearl, RN, Cindy Taylor, RN, Terry Gray, RN. Provisional Class 2 Water Systems Operator, State of Vermont Certification Richard DeGreenia

Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification Care Dolan, RN, Abby Young, RN, Jaime Gadwah, RN, Paula Geil, RN, Kathleen Killary, RN.

RN Licensure Melville Mooney, RN SANE Certification Genevieve Cipolla, RN, Janet Wilson, NP

Advanced Cardiac Life Support & Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certifications Rachel Coy, RN, Kara Lawrence, RN. Asthma Educator Certification Laura Flaherty

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Leading a Compassionate Life The Interfaith Community of the St. Johnsbury area is inviting us to participate in a 12-week book study based on Karen Armstrong’s book, 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life. Rev. Mark Milligan, of South Congregational Church will lead this group to explore ways to be more compassionate individuals and a more compassionate community. The group will meet on Tuesday evenings, beginning on September 11, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Catamount Arts Center. Copies of the books can be purchased at the Boxcar and Caboose Bookstore, 394 Railroad St., St. Johnsbury. People of all faiths and traditions are welcome to attend. If you have any questions, Mark can be reached at 535-7735.

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NVRH Awards

Dr. John Elliott Community Service Award for 2012

Angela Williamson was presented with the Dr. John Elliott Community Service Award for employees of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital at the NVRH Recognition Dinner on June 28.

Dr. John Elliott joined what is now Corner Medical in Lyndon in the 1970’s. Dr. Elliott passed away unexpectedly in 2008. This award was created by employees at NVRH in his memory to recognize a current employee who exemplifies Dr. Elliott’s quiet dedication to community. “This award is especially meaningful to all of us who knew and worked with Dr. Elliott,” said Paul Bengtson, CEO at NVRH. Williamson works as the Office Manager in Dr. Craig Dreisbach’s orthopedic practice. She was nominated for this award by four separate NVRH employees. Pam Smart, one of those who nominated Williamson, spoke at the award dinner. “Much like Dr. Elliott, Angela is so humble many of you may not know all she does for this community,” said Smart. This award rewards employees of the hospital for their volunteer and community work outside of their normal job responsibilities. Williamson is most known for her work with the local March of Dimes campaign, and for her willingness to pitch in and fundraise for a variety of local organizations and charities. After the award dinner, Williamson said “I’m honored to receive this award. It means a lot to me because I worked with Dr. Elliott for six years at Corner Medical.” The Dr. John Elliott Community Service Award is rewarded annually. Past winners were Linda Garey, Donna Racine, and Ramona Letourneau.

Angela Williamson, flanked by Dr. Craig Dreisbach and his wife, Michelle Authier at the 2012 Recognition Dinner, where Angela was awarded the John Elliott Community Service Award.

NVRH Hosts Local Print Artist, Mary Simpson An exhibition of Mary Simpson’s woodcuts and print works will be on display in the Charles M. and Hanna H. Gray Gallery on the main floor of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital from July 20 through September 17. Ms. Simpson’s works reflect her Northeast Kingdom upbringing and an appreciation of her family’s background in dairy farming. “My father was a storyteller. The printmaking process of carving blocks, inking and printing them on paper has become my method of communicating appreciation of family and rural life. Valuing the purposeful work has given me lasting memories.” Many residents of the area are familiar with her works now on display at Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild in St. Johnsbury. She recently Autumn Flight participated in the July 7th Burklyn Arts Council’s summer craft fair in Lyndonville. Her works are also on exhibit in Montpelier, Stowe, Burlington, and Middlebury. Ms. Simpson’s formal art education began at Lyndon State College, and continued with classes in Alaska and Florida. While in Alaska, she was associated with the Imaginarium Science Center in Anchorage, and the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Currently, she is collaborating with author Yvonne Merrill , providing instructional line drawings for a multicultural art activities book series. For additional information about the show, please call 748-7313. 4

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week August 1-7: The Birth Center at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital is

giving infant unis (saying Fueled Up and Ready To Go) to all babies born at the hospital in August. Studies have shown that breastfeeding provides many lifelong benefits for both mothers and babies. NVRH is the only “Baby Friendly” designated hospital in Vermont. The Baby Friendly initiative is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding.

Better Breathers Club Starts At NVRH Beginning July 11, a new Better Breathers Club will meet at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. This free support group for people with chronic breathing problems and their families will meet in the NVRH Business Center Conference Room 126. Over 35 million adults in the United States have a chronic lung disease, such as asthma, COPD or pulmonary fibrosis. Better Breathers Clubs meet regularly to provide support, education, and socialization to people who have been diagnosed with COPD and other lung diseases, and their family members and/or caretakers. Groups are coordinated by a facilitator trained by the American Lung Association. The facilitator provides speakers, “Going to the group learning materikeeps us moving and als, and more. Some of the topis great for my mental ics include how attitude!” your lungs work, understanding chronic lung disease, emotional and social well-being, and tracking your symptoms. “Better Breathers to me means a better understanding of my condition, leading to better living and, consequently, a better lifestyle. One can’t do better than a Better Breathers Club!” says Robin, a current patient. “Going to the group keeps us moving and is great for my mental attitude!” For more information about this new support group, please call Lew at 626-0321.

Andrew Nisbet, MD (Urologist at NVRH), proudly holds Annabelle, while his wife Elizabeth Johnson, MD holds AJ during Elizabeth’s and the twins recent visit to the hospital. AJ and Annabelle were born on May 12th.

Editor’s Note: Glenda Bernier in Diagnostic Imaging, sent me two pictures recently, one of Lisa Bijolle’s granddaughter Kayla, who was admiring the flowers in the Courtyard with the perfect dress on to match, and the other of all she canned from last year’s CSA!

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Lory Grimes

is New Director of Physician Practices at NVRH Lory Grimes, RN, MEd, is the new Director of Physician Practices at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. As Director of Physician Practices, Lory is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of Anesthesia, Women’s Wellness, Specialty Clinics, Corner Medical, Kingdom Internal Medicine, St. Johnsbury Pediatrics, Occupational Medicine, Dr. Walko and Dr. Larsen, General Surgeons; Dr. Dreisbach and Dr. Gagnon, Orthopaedic Surgeons; The Ear, Nose and Throat Group, Hospitalists and Mental Health. Daily operations of each practice include staffing, space and budget issues, as well as being a liaison and resource with the hospital administration. Prior to coming to NVRH, Grimes was the Practice Manager of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center-North in St. Johnsbury for six years, overseeing the daily clinical and operations of the medical hematology/radiation oncology practice. Grimes has had a wealth of experience in healthcare at Dartmouth -- as a nurse, a care manager, and a medical secretary in several departments. Additionally, she has been in the military, run a wellness center at a university and served as Director of Health Services at a private school. Grimes received her RN from Norwich University and her MEd from Plymouth State University. “We welcome Lory to the position of Director of Physician Practices. Her life and professional experiences will be invaluable in managing the hospital’s Physician Practices. She has numerous work and life experiences that make her an accomplished and capable manager, along with a solid background in healthcare,” said CEO Paul Bengtson. Grimes is standardizing processes across the practices, creating strong and consistent foundations, which will benefit both staff and patients. “It’s rewarding to see people and practices succeed and grow. I look forward to assessing where improvement and change will most benefit all involved.” Grimes and her husband Bill have three children, Jessica, Jeanne, and Kayla. Her hobbies include riding her horses, hiking, walking, snowshoeing and enjoying her quiet time.

NVRH Mammography Department Earns Re-certification The Mammography department at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital recently passed their annual Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) inspection. Congress enacted MQSA to ensure that all women had access to quality mammography for the detection of breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. NVRH is required to pass a yearly on-site inspection to remain in compliance with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and MQSA in order to continue performing mammograms. FDA regulations required to meet certification include the expertise of physicians, radiologic technologists and medical physicists who survey equipment; a quality control program and record maintenance system; and a system for following up on mammograms that reveal problems, and for obtaining biopsy results. “Our team works together; we have highly qualified and compassionate technologists who really enjoy their work, and secretaries who support both the technologists and the patients,” said Carol Steiner, Director of Diagnostic Imaging. To find out more about the Diagnostic Imaging Department, as well as NVRH and its services, please visit Kneeling: Sue Wells, Jean Norris. Front: Hartley Neel, MD, Glenna Tay, Jessica www.nvrh.org. Placey, Deborah Haselton, Yvette Parker, Konnie Perkins. Back: Pat Brochu-Cox, Gretchen Renaud. Missing from the picture, but playing important roles are: Carol Steiner, Tammy Thresher, Judy Selle and Patty Gray.

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A Ton of Laundry – Literally! By Pete Gummere On Saturday, July 21 NVRH did a ton of laundry, quite literally! In fact it was a little over a ton – 2,027 pounds to be exact. This breaks the old record of 1,950 pounds. The NVRH Laundry opened in July of 1988. It has processed laundry for the hospital and for some of the medical staff offices, our own owned practices and St. Johnsbury Academy for years. Laundry staff also collects soiled linen and distributes it in-house. Off-site facilities are serviced through the Maintenance Department route. Most days, there is more than a thousand pounds of laundry to process. Most Saturdays and Sundays, the volume of laundry drops from the regular weekday volume. However, since the Academy’s Summer Program is running at full capacity, they deliver soiled linens to the Receiving Dock Friday evening and/or Saturday morning. The Laundry processes that laundry on Saturday. Everything went according to schedule on July 21. However, the Academy sent 1,275 pounds more than we had ever seen before. When added to the 752 pounds from the hospital’s own departments, the total processed that day was 2,027 pounds, just over a ton. Alice Davis, Charity Austin and Fred Wells processed the Academy laundry that day commented along with the hospital’s laundry. When asked for her thoughts on the day’s activity Charity commented, “It was interesting ….and busy.” Fred was equally succinct when he said, “It was a real team effort. Everyone pitched in just did what was needed.” The Laundry’s relationship with the Academy goes back about 24 years. At that time we agreed to do their Laundry in exchange for corporate passes for the Field House for employees; that relationship has continued since then. Any employee with a hospital ID and a card obtained from HR is able to access the Field House along with a companion. This is a very real benefit for NVRH employees that results from the hard work of five of our co-workers in the Laundry; numerous NVRH employees have taken advantage of the Field House passes over the years. Next time you see a Laundry worker, say The laundry crew recently received a small portion of the old Conference Room B for a new folding room (both SPD and the OR “Thanks!” especially if you are one of the employees who received portions of Conference Room B for storage). Lisa Bijolle have used the Field House. said of the new room, “It’s great. We really appreciate this space, and it makes an enormous difference for us.”

The Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society was held on June 16th at St. Johnsbury Academy. Thank you to all the hospital employees and their family members who are so generous with their time and energy, compassion and teamwork. It was great to have beautiful weather!

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Sleep Center Joint Venture Filling a Community Need The Northern Vermont Center for Sleep Disorders treats patients for over eighty different types of sleep disorders. This statistic was reported by Deborah McCormick, Manager of the Center, to the Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital Corporators at their June quarterly meetings. McCormick listed the most common sleep disorders diagnosed and treated at the center including sleep apnea and snoring, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. When asked about how common it is to have a sleep disorder, McCormick explained that there is a growing awareness about sleep disorders. “Years ago, Sleep Center at NVRH – Deborah McCormick, Manager at the Northern people just wondered why grandpa snored all night and Vermont Center for Sleep Disorders, presented at the June quarterly meetings snoozed in his chair all day. Now we can correctly diagof the NVRH Corporators. Charlie Bucknam, NVRH President of the Board of Trustees, welcomed McCormick to the meetings. nose and treat him – he’ll sleep better at night, and be awake and more active during the day.” McCormick explained that once a sleep disorder is diagnosed it can often be treated quite effectively. “Getting a good night’s sleep can make a big difference in the quality of a person’s life,” said McCormick. “Our patients tell us how much better they feel after they start treatment.” A good night’s sleep helps restore energy to the body and brain, and can help improve your appetite, social relationships, and performance at work or school. The Northern Vermont Center for Sleep Disorders is located on the NVRH campus in St. Johnsbury, and is a joint venture between North Country Hospital in Newport and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury. The Center includes two sleep disorder testing rooms and conducts sleep studies three nights a week in St. Johnsbury. North Country Hospital also houses a four room center in Newport and another two room center at Copley Hospital in Morrisville. Paul Bengtson, CEO at NVRH, commented that the joint venture is a shining example of how area hospitals can work together to provide a needed service in the community. “The joint venture makes it possible to provide the service conveniently in both St. Johnsbury and Newport, while not duplicating the service or causing the hospitals to compete for patients,” said Bengtson. The NVRH Corporators meet quarterly and represent all the towns in the hospital service area. They are an invaluable source of wisdom and perspective for hospital leadership. The Corporators are key links in the essential communication system between members of the community and the hospital. To learn more about the Northern Vermont Center for Sleep Disorders or any of the services at NVRH visit www.nvrh.org.

NVRH Partnership with the CDC Submitted by Laural Ruggles This story starts with an email. I received an innocuous email in the fall of 2010. It was most likely received by tens of thousands of people via list serves who then forwarded it on to tens of thousands more. The email said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was looking for “Promising Practices” in controlling high blood pressure using either community health workers or the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure ( JNC 7) guidelines. The Community Health Team in the NVRH service area seemed

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like the ideal candidate for this project because: 1. The NVRH Community Connections programs employs community health workers who 2. Work with the larger Vermont Blueprint for Health Community Health Team and 3. Hypertension is one of the fundamental chronic conditions in the Blueprint and 4. Our Community Health Team and the medical homes are certainly demonstrating promising practices for patients with high blood pressure.

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I quickly clicked on the link included in the email and completed the online form to nominate the NVRH service area Community Health Team. Several months and one follow up phone interview later I got a call saying we were chosen as one of only five in the country Promising Practices in blood pressure control. In May 2011, Diane Dunet PhD, from the CDC Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and two contract researchers arrived for a three day site visit. They interviewed members of the Community Health Team, as well as Dr. Kraus and a UVM researcher affiliated with the Vermont Blueprint for Health. They left saying a summary report would be forthcoming, and that over the summer a panel of experts from the CDC would be reviewing the five Promising Practice sites and choosing two for a rigorous evaluation. The call that we were one of the two sites chosen for a thirty month rigorous evaluation came in the fall of 2011. We are the site chosen for Promising Practices in controlling high blood pressure using community health workers. The other site is a medical clinic in Pennsylvania using the JNC7 guidelines. We are now just under a year into the thirty month rigorous evaluation. The premise behind the rigorous evaluation is the CDC looks for programs that appear to be “working”, then design and conduct an evaluation to prove why and how it works so that the program can be duplicated in other communities. The exciting part is that we are very much involved in selecting the evaluation criteria and designing the evaluation tools. The evaluation will consist of a patient quality of life assessment tool designed with help from Pam Smart, Connie Sandahl, Shauna Barrett, and Steve Kline from Community Connections, and Chaplain Abby Pollander in her former role as a community health worker in Community Connections. The tool is currently being piloted by Community Connections, and will be used for all patient encounters for one full year starting this fall. The data from this tool will be matched to individual patient information from the electronic health records in the medical homes, and encounter tracking forms already being compiled by the Care Coordinators and Behavioral Health Specialists working

Laural Ruggles, VP Marketing and Community Health Improvement on a recent visit to the CDC headquarters in Atlanta: Laural is working with researchers on a cost analysis of the Community Connections program as part of a larger evaluation on the effectiveness of the NVRH service area Community Health Team. From left: Dr. Diane Dunet, Alberta Mirambeau, Dr. Guijing Wang.

in the medical homes. Since this is research involving human subjects, the CDC will need Internal Review Board (IRB) approval. This fall the researchers will interview healthcare providers and nurses in the medical homes to hear their perceptions of and experiences with the Community Health Team. In late fall, patients will be interviewed. A complimentary project has grown out of the original project. We are also working with Diane Dunet PhD, Guijing Wang PhD, and Alberta Mirambeau from the CDC on a cost analysis for the Community Connections program. I was fortunate to be invited for a reverse site visit to the CDC in Atlanta in July to help write a research paper on the cost analysis. Alberta and I will also be presenting on the cost analysis project at the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual conference in San Francisco in October. The APHA conference is the largest gathering of public health professionals in the country with over 12,000 participants expected. The visit to Atlanta was capped off with a tour of the CDC Museum featuring exhibits highlighting the CDC’s long history of public health initiatives from eradicating small pox from the planet to ongoing efforts to reduce smoking and tobacco product use. It is gratifying to know that this project with the CDC will ensure that the work being done right here at NVRH could one day help improve the health of people with high blood pressure in other parts of the country and even the world.

The visit to Atlanta included a trip to the CDC Museum. This exhibit space supports CDC’s mission by educating all who visit about public health and the benefits of prevention, and Laural couldn’t resist trying on a hazmat suit.

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MEET DR. ALLISON CIOLINO NEW NVRH PATHOLOGIST AND LABORATORY MEDICAL DIRECTOR -by Jim Coulson Recently Dr. Andrew Goodwin, who had been Medical Director of the NVRH Laboratory, decided to take a new job at Fletcher Allen Health Care as their Director of Coagulation Services. He is looking forward to his position as it also affords him the opportunity to do more teaching of medical students at UVM, something he has long aspired to do. Replacing him as Laboratory Medical Director and Pathologist is Dr. Allison Ciolino. She will be keeping a schedule similar to Dr. Goodwin’s, which brings her to St. Johnsbury 5 or 6 times a month and on call for medical staff and the Laboratory 24/7. Dr. Ciolino will be attending regular meetings of medical staff and other committees as well as scheduled consults for surgical procedures. Dr. C (as she is also known) is originally from Elmwood Park, near Paterson in northern New Jersey. She attended Union College in Schenectady, NY with a dual major in Biochemistry and French. French had always been a passion of hers and she had the opportunity to spend 5 months participating in a study abroad program in Rennes, France as part of her time at Union College. After graduation, Dr. C worked at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center assisting with research on chemotherapeutic cancer trials. A goal of Dr. C’s had always been to go to medical school. When she visited Burlington for the first time she “…knew this is where I want to be”. She attended UVM College of Medicine for both her medical degree and a year-long postdoctoral fellowship in Neuroscience. She stayed at UVM/FAHC for her residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. She followed that with a year’s fellowship in Cytopathology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston from July 2009 to July of 2010. Following her fellowship, she worked part-time at FAHC and at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, NY. She now is an assistant professor at UVM/FAHC employed as a .75 FTE and her service commitments include Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology, as well as being the Medical Director for the NVRH Laboratory. Dr. C lives in Essex with her family and two 8-year-old twin Golden Retrievers, Maddie and Montana. She has varied interests that include playing on a softball team; she also enjoys NFL football. Although currently not a priority in her life, Dr C also holds a black belt in Taekwondo. She spends much of her free time hiking and walking with her family and her dogs, bird watching, reading, and occasionally downhill and cross-country skiing. Dr C also volunteers at Random Rescue, a canine rescue and adoption group in Williamstown near South Barre. If you are thinking of adopting a furry friend, you can visit their website at www.randomrescue.org. Dr. Ciolino says that she is “…excited for this new opportunity to serve as the Laboratory Medical Director at NVRH and looking forward to being an integral part of the healthcare team that helps care for the people of Northeastern Vermont.”

St. Johnsbury Area Profiled as Health Innovators The July 3, 2012 issue of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Innovations Exchange profiles an innovative program in the St. Johnsbury health service area. The Updated Innovation Profile, Community- and Practice-Based Teams, Real-Time Information, and Financial Incentives Help Medical Homes Improve Care, Reduce Utilization and Costs, describes the program’s development, results, and lessons learned.

The profile summarizes the health innovations of the six medical homes and the Community Health Team in the St. Johnsbury health service area. The medical homes and the Community Health Team provide preventive, chronic disease, behavioral health care, as well as social service support. The medical homes and the community health team are part of the state-wide Vermont Blueprint for Health initiative. The Vermont Blueprint 10

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for Health is a public-private initiative authorized by the Vermont legislature and is the foundation for many health care reform initiatives in Vermont. The Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital practices of Corner Medical and St. Johnsbury Pediatrics, and the Northern Counties Health Care health centers of the Concord Health Center, the Danville Health Center, Caledonia Internal Medicine, and St. Johnsbury Family Health Center are all recognized as patient-centered medical homes. The Community Health Team includes community health workers in the Community Connections program, care coordinators and behavioral health specialists, and representatives from numerous local and

state health and social services agencies. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. AHRQ has a mission to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. AHRQ created the Health Care Innovations Exchange to speed the implementation of new and better ways of delivering health care. To read the entire profile visit www.innovations. ahrq.gov. For more information about the Vermont Blueprint for Health in the St. Johnsbury health service area call Laural Ruggles, VP Marketing and Community Health Improvement.

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Summer 2012 Upward Bound -Betsy Merrill

This summer there were eight new faces in NVRH departments during the afternoons, arriving around 1:00, and leaving around 4:00. They could be found in the Birth Center, Emergency Room, Corner Medical Physical Therapy, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory, Library, In-house (NVRH) Physical Therapy and Information (Volunteers’) Desk. Upward Bound is a hybrid of summer camp, work opportunity, and educational opportunity. Over the course of the summer, beginning June 25 and ending July 26, this group spent an accumulated 600 hours with us. Upward Bound is one of the programs that grew out of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, a part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. Upward Bound was the first of three programs, which became known as TRIO; Talent Search and Student Support Services rounded out the three-some. All provide help to insure success and graduation to eligible high school students. Upward Bound provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves high

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school students from low-income families and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from colleges and universities. Locally, students live and study at Lyndon State College. All Upward Bound programs provide instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature, and foreign language. The Upward Bound students took a variety of morning college preparation classes, had supported work hours in the afternoons, and study hall in the evenings. It sounds like a busy schedule. “Go to school AND get a paycheck? AND help me get into the college of my choice? It’s great! I won’t be eligible next year, ‘cause I’m graduating…I’m really gonna miss it, ” said Corrina. Coming from schools throughout the Kingdom, they represented the towns of Barton, Brownington, Cannan (2), Hardwick, Lyndonville, and Waterford. They are all as different as can be, and I find myself watching for their “limo” (LSC van) to pull up as it nears 1:00. They are a grand representation of those young folks who will make a difference.

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In her own words, Erica revealed a student’s look at the Upward Bound program: I chose to do Upward Bound because I knew I wanted to go to college but I was not sure how I would get there. In order to get to college, I knew I had to maintain above average grades in challenging courses and be involved in extracurricular activities. However, I was unaware of the importance of SAT/SAC scores, college admissions, and my major. Thankfully, Upward Bound has guided me through the college process. In Upward Bound I have accomplished numerous goals, such as raising my standardized test scores through hours of preparatory classes, and experiencing a rehab and hospital setting with over 300 hours of volunteer service. One of my favorite contributions that the program offers are the travel experiences each student receives, because not many kids who live in the Northeast Kingdom are able to travel outside of the area. For the past three years we have traveled to Philadelphia, D.C., Maine, and Boston. Throughout each of these places we have visited colleges, which gave each student an idea of what college is right for them. The most valuable aspects of Upward Bound are those that prepare me to be ahead of my classmate academically, who don’t do the program, the college admission process, and lastly the program offers me and the other students a 100% guarantee of going to college. -Erica Thrailkill

The following is a letter from Upward Bound student Kayla Royer, written to the Radiology Department after her experience in their department this summer:

To NVRH Radiology: I just want to take a moment to personally thank all of you. Before I came into this hospital, I was nervous at what exactly I was going to be dealing with. I was still undecided at the profession I even wanted to do. After these five weeks, I have come to the realization that bones fascinate me. From x-rays to MRI’s ultrasounds, and CT scans, I fell in love with this field of medicine. Not only do the images put me in awe, but all of you are amazing people. I have worked with some mean people, but you guys are the best. They weren’t joking on the first day when they said “we treat you like family.” This slogan is 100% true. You’re all my hospital family and I wouldn’t have wanted to work with anyone else. So thank you: Gretchen, Deby, Patty, Jean, Chicira, Tyler and Mark, Konnie, Jackie, Monika, Jessica, Mike, and all the others who made my experience at NVRH an unforgettable one. I hope to one day see you all again! Good luck with everything.

Improving Customer Service in the NVRH Pharmacy NVRH Employees will notice some subtle but important changes when they pick up their prescriptions at the NVRH Pharmacy. The Pharmacy recently implemented QS/1 an employee prescription processing system. According to Pharmacy Director Mike Auger the new system gives our pharmacy some enhanced features commonly available at retail pharmacies, but not previously available at NVRH; including improved labels, improved patient information and Med-Guides, and receipts showing the amount the employee pays (before the full price of the drug was on the receipt). Employees will also notice the new electronic signature pad. The new system will give the medical offices the ability to e-prescribe for employee prescriptions to the NVRH pharmacy. Additionally, the pharmacy will receive auto-price updates from the distributor, and the system has bar-code technology that stores drug information and an actual image of the medication. Employees will need to sign a new HIPAA release, and all existing prescriptions will need to be manually entered into the new system. Pharmacist Allison Henderson dispenses a “This system will improve safety, as well as improve the efficiency of workflow prescription for Robin Morin, Patient Business in our department ,” said Mike. “And it will increase customer satisfaction for our Services. The Pharmacy recently implemented QS/1, an employee prescription processing system employee customers.” that includes enhanced services similar to what you would see at a retail pharmacy.

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Dartmouth Medical Student Jill Kaspar Finishes up Rotation at Corner Medical Jill Kaspar, third year medical student at Dartmouth Medical School recently finished her last clinical rotation for the year at NVRH Corner Medical. Her preceptor was Joyce Dobbertin, DC, MD. The rotation was six weeks, in which she had many and varied experiences, including working with Tom Turek, Doctor of Chiropractic; Physical Therapy; St. Johnsbury Pediatrics; the Pines; hospice visits, as well as attending several conferences with Dr. Dobbertin, and working with the practitioners at Corner Medical.

Kaspar enjoyed her rotation at Corner Medical immensely. “I enjoyed taking care of the whole patient. I got to see so much, so many different conditions – everyone works as a team very well here – people are always helping each other out. I’ve found everyone very welcoming and willing to teach. Dr. Dobbertin has a great deal of energy, is a good teacher and has been great at getting me involved in so many different facets of life and medicine in the Northeast Kingdom.” Dr. Dobbertin appreciates the patients at Corner Medical allowing the students to learn from them. She is hoping to attract future physicians to primary care in a rural area. Her experience with Jill was very positive. “Jill has been a delight. She engages the patients, who all felt very comfortable with her; she is becoming a great physician.” Kaspar has always found the brain amazing, and is leaning toward practicing neurology. She finds it mysterious; it combines so many physical and psychological components. She is applying for residencies this fall, 2012, and is trying to decide whether to focus on adult or pediatric neurology. While in high school, Jill earned her LNA, and worked in a nursing home. That experience helped to galvanize her desire to pursue medicine, while also solidifying her deep respect for the nursing profession. She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa in 2009 with a BS in Neuroscience, and a minor in French. She will be graduating from Dartmouth Medical School in the spring of 2013.

Ella Kelsey, Hospital Controller, Passes Two Certifications in Addiction Studies In the past four years, Ella Kelsey earned her Masters degree in Human Services and Mental Health counseling. Recently, she passed her Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training, as well as the Vermont Drug and Alcohol Certification Exam. She’s volunteered 1500 hours of training in the past two years, working with Rose Sheehan in the Tobacco Cessation program; she has 500 additional hours of training in order to become a fully certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. Ella is deeply grateful to both the hospital and Rose for supporting her training. Ella is currently Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital’s Controller, working with money, budgets and the daily and overall financial health of the hospital. She has worked in the Finance department at the hospital for 13 years; 10 years as the Controller. Having smoked for twenty years, and quit, Ella has deep empathy for people when they decide they want to stop. “Addiction affects so much in people’s lives. The good work of healthcare providers is frequently undermined by people’s addictive habits. By the same token, when people overcome their addiction, it just leads to better living all around. The clients do the work, but it’s my job to reframe negative

thoughts and educate and support people -- it’s tough to quit an addiction, but it’s doable. It’s very rewarding and exciting for me to watch people literally change their lives.” “Ella is very non-judgmental. She possesses the intellectual knowledge, as well as the wise and intuitive sense of how addiction affects people, so she can really make a difference in peoples’ lives. It’s been wonderful to have her aboard,” said Rose Sheehan, Director of Tobacco Cessation at NVRH. Ella is currently co-leading a tobacco cessation group on Tuesday evenings from 6-7 pm in the conference room at 55 Sherman Drive. People can attend an unlimited number of times. For more information about the Tobacco Cessation programs at NVRH, call 802 748-7532 or visit www.nvrh.org.

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MedQuest at NVRH:

A Week to Remember! Submitted by Betsy Merrill

What do you get when you bring motivated Vermont high school students to a college campus and connect them with willing-to-teach health care professionals for a week? You get the awesome experience known as MedQuest. By design, MedQuest is a 5-night residential camp where high school sophomores and juniors are exposed to a variety of different health care careers through experiential and classroom learning. Northeastern Vermont AHEC in St. Johnsbury began our local MedQuest program in 1999, based on a national model, working cooperatively with Newport hospital and NVRH. Like any camp, there are considerations for lodging (at LSC), meals( at LSC and other venues), counselors ( UVM Medical students, as Assistant Directors), and opportunities that may at first seem unimaginable. Those opportunities include job shadowing health care professionals, team building exercises, and certification in CPR and first aid. Students are connected with practicing health care professionals as positive role models. Life-skills training and job-readiness training , courtesy of MedQuest staff, is part of the program, along with guidance in pursuing a career in health care. This year’s group of campers were from Northeastern and Central Vermont. With over forty applicants, it was difficult to choose who the “campers” would be. The twenty campers chosen represented Albany, Barnet (2), Barre, Beecher Falls, Berlin, Chelsea, East Montpelier, Lyndonville (2), Marshfield, Montpelier (2), Morrisville, Northfield, Northfield Falls, Stowe, Waitsfield, Waterbury, and West Topsham . Gaining a “sneak peak” into the world of a health care professional comes with requirements. Students must maintain respect for patient confidentiality and exhibit professionalism during their health care career explorations. These can be hard to grasp for students of this age group, but I think they represented themselves well. Many moments (too many to list), produce the “snap shot memories” that students could recall, including, “Wilderness search and rescue… awesome”; “This CPR is hard to do- imagine doing this for 15 minutes, or all the way to the hospital! Man!!”; “Hey! I did suturing! Excellent!” and when they met SimMan, “Listen to this- it really does sound like a heart beating.. so cool!” This camp provided over one hundred hours of job shadow to campers. That is astounding. Our usual end-of- week presentation was in the form of an EMS drill, with Danville Rescue, St. Johnsbury Fire, Caledonia County Sherriff’s Department, and narration provided by Mark Podgwaite (Director of Operations at LRI), culminating with a fly-in by the Vermont Air National Guard, bringing one of the emergency evacuation helicopters and complete crew. Walter Cronkite used to say, at the end each of his news broadcasts, “And that’s the way it was…” and using his words is the best description ….this was truly a memorable week.

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Security Update… Sheriff Enhancements at NVRH Submitted by Jim Coulson

NVRH has been through a transition in security coverage over the last 16 months. What began as coverage during high risk times -- those hours during the various shifts when more events were historically occurring -- led to longer hours on more days of the week. Recently several factors combined to make 24/7 coverage a necessity. The closure of the state psychiatric hospital (with no viable alternative in sight) and increasing criminal activity related to drug use have led to the presence of the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department here all day. While the casual observer may see a lot of “sitting around” and not a lot of activity, the reality is that a heightened sense of deterrence is noted by many on the “front lines” where many patients move through the hospital every day. The Emergency Department is of course where the deputies are seen most often, along with the Access Department. Sergeant Bob Clark, NVRH Security Supervisor, who is on site during daytime hours, reports that 99% of their time is focused on the ED and Access Department. The night shift from both departments noted an immediate change in behavior from patients and visitors alike. Numerous employees noted a perceptible change in something as simple as the noise level of the waiting area of the ED. One person noted that they could tell when the Sheriffs had arrived on duty due to the much lower level of noise coming from the waiting room. Bob is also quick to point out that their biggest job is deterrence. He relates that he has often witnessed people pulling into the parking lot of the hospital only to turn around and pull back out upon sighting him or his cruiser parked just outside the ED/ Access doors. “People don’t understand, he said,” that when I’m not busy (and don’t appear to be doing anything), I’m still working.” Dr. Merrick, one of the ED doctors takes that idea further stating, “When he’s (Sgt. Bob Clark) having a bad day, I’m having a really bad day.” Spoken as an experienced ED employee he added, “Boredom is good!” Numerous employees interviewed spoke of a common theme: The presence of an officer in uniform changes people’s behavior. Besides the obvious effect of having people behave better and bringing calm to a potentially volatile situation, several people spoke of how the deputy’s very presence de-escalates events before they have the chance to become a

threat. Dr. Merrick stated emphatically “Violence is prevented by their presence.” Bob says his favorite quote is that thieves don’t rob the store when the police are present. Bob spoke of several changes he and his crew have been able to bring about due to lapses in security they noticed and provided solutions for. The 24 lockdown of the ED, ID badge access to various Sergeant Bob Clark, areas of the facility from NVRH Security Supervisor the elevators and other security improvements were all initiated by the Sheriff’s Department. The deputies also patrol the entire NVRH campus. Both from their cruiser and on foot they check the parking lots and all of the buildings as part of their daily routine. They also walk through the 2nd and 3rd floors as well as the basement level. The deputies have been successful in helping navigate legal situations involving temporary restraining orders, warrants and the like. “We are able to get real time information on these types of situations sooner than other people might be able to” Bob related. Numerous employees noted that with coverage from the Vermont State Police and other law enforcement agencies spotty, it is nice to know someone right here has your back. On a related note, Bob mentioned that the Sheriff’s Department coverage in the hospital alleviates any legal, practical and training issues that were previously assigned to our in-house maintenance and housekeeping staffs. One piece evident in speaking with both employees and deputies is how a very supportive and collaborative relationship has quickly evolved. Staff morale is noted to be higher and people expressed an overall increased feeling of being safer with a 24/7 security team in the facility. As the tagline to the now infamous television commercial put it, the feeling of security in the workplace… is priceless.

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CORNER

Summer Melodies – Betsy Fowler

Recently, I was on vacation traveling to New York City and then on to the Jersey Shore. As I was riding along, I left behind the day to day routine of my life. Not even minding the frequent traffic encountered once leaving Vermont due to enjoying the solitude of the open road with tunes playing in the background. I began to think about the power of music. We could think scientifically of the way our brains encode and access memories, or as I prefer, “just let it happen”. A particular song will come on and I am transformed back in time to briefly re-experience my life in a way difficult to capture through mere thought. I can’t hear “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles without seeing myself on a swing set with my friend in his backyard in 1964 when this song and the band were taking the country by storm. Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” comes on and I am in our local summer hangout on the Jersey Shore with my friends listening to the 45 on the juke box sipping a cherry coke. Many people know I am a huge Elton John fan that began when Elton first became popular while I was in high school (I am dating myself way too much here). Elton’s music instantly balances me regardless of my current mood. If it’s been awhile since I’ve heard his songs, it’s like being back in the comfortable company of an old friend.

Music can shift us out of our current reality. This power is what makes music such a great coping skill in our stress management toolbox. Songs brighten our day and steady our world making music a quick and easy way to manage stress. So plug in your favorite song, sit back and enjoy the summer.

Linda Lockwood, SPD Manager, Retires After 23 Years at NVRH When asked about what it feels like to retire from a job she truly loved, Linda said she “still worries about whether everything and everyone will be ok – will the patients have what they need, etc. etc. Peoples’ lives depend on so much, so things have to be perfect, from my perspective.” Besides managing the department, she bought everything for patientrelated charges. Sometimes, it could take 4-5 hours for her to find one item. She has encouraged and pushed her staff to learn more, get certified, do whatever it takes to be the best at what they do. The responsibilities in the department have grown, just as the hospital has. “The staff in SPD is the best – they are well trained and are familiar with each others’ jobs.” Linda was born in Springfield, VT; her family was one of the original four settlers. The family headed to the Northeast Kingdom and bought Bill and Billy’s Lodge on Lake Willoughby. She’s lived at the Lodge for 56 years, having done the majority of her growing up there. The Lodge has apartments that she rents out, and she’s looking forward to doing some maintenance work that needs to be done. She’s had many of the same tenants through repeated generations. Linda has three sons: Mike, who lives in Indianapolis, IN, Steve lives in Pensacola, FL and James lives in Boston, MA. She has four grandsons and one granddaughter. She’s looking forward to going to the Cape for Labor Day Weekend and meeting up with some of the family. “Everyone keeps asking me how I’m going to do to relax, and I don’t think I really know what it is,” quipped Linda. She WILL be remaining on per diem, in order to help the department through the Meditech conversion. We look forward to seeing the occasional “Linda sighting” and we wish her a terrific retirement… you will be missed, Linda.

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A+ Standard of Caring Ambulatory Surgery + My husband was a patient four yrs. ago and because of the fantastic warmth and caring of the staff, I chose NVRH even though our local hospital facility is much closer to our home. Two thumbs up!! + Could not have had a nicer experience - I love my NVRH family - Everyone was wonderful to me + Very pleased with all aspects of care and surgery! + Receptionist was very attentive & pleasant. + Dr. Rankin is wonderful! He is very thorough and explains everything. Linda Wells in pre-op was super. Made my son relax before the surgery. Great w/kids. + PACU nurses were great! Very accommodating to my son’s needs. Even let me get in the bed with him. + Dr. Rankin stayed with us until my son was in the PACU and we could go see him. + My experience was very positive from beginning to end highly satisfied! + Nurses very helpful - Brenda/Linda & others.

Emergency Department + I was very pleased with all work done, X-rays, blood test all done right away. + They offered us liquids -- kept track of us all the time. Excellent care. + Everyone in that unit made me feel safe. I knew they would help me. + I had to have my catheter removed and put back in. THE NURSE WAS EXCELLENT. I had this done at another hospital on 5-8-2012 and it was a terrible, painful experience. + I could not have asked for better treatment, actually enjoyed the interaction! Very proactive. + Monique was knowledgeable & comforting, good bedside manner. + Very impressed with Dr. Marc Keller, most considerate & treated me with great respect. + Monica was very understanding & gentle, was a pleasant x-ray. + I do feel like I received individual treatment. + I was registered & seen timely. + The lady who drew blood was very personable & professional. + Michael Scanlon, nurses & staff were very professional, extremely efficient and most informative about my concerns. Mike was very complete in his examination & explained all procedures. + Stan was wonderful - heard & reacted to everything that I said and gave me great anatomical detail of my wound (which helped me with self care after discharge).

May 2012

+ Pete and I are “family” and were treated as cherished family. + It was (as normal) a busy time. Dr. Rousse and Dr. Tanner were caring and thorough. + NVRH rates 10 - Super! Fletcher Allen, from my husband’s experience, rates 1.5. + Thank you all you took good care of me. God bless you. + X ray tech was very professional. + Radiology staff was extremely nice and very accommodating. + Jay Dege - wonderful. + Marlene and Joanne were efficient and kind. + Janet Wilson was patient and thorough explaining results & options. + Richard was friendly and efficient. + Heather was good at making signing in quick and anxiety free. (Also Rebecca & Vickie.) + Excellent. I expected that I would need to wait for a bit which was not the case at all. + I liked the doctor a lot - very thorough. + The x ray tech was very patient and enthusiastic. + Very short wait, the nurse was very nice. + Strep test done very quickly & efficiently; results were ready quickly.

Inpatient Department + Anea & Annette were great during my labor. + The nurses I had were very pleasant and the person who cleaned the room was friendly. + Darla gave me some ideas when I couldn’t choose from two main foods. + I really felt the concern from my nurses and I felt safe about my needs being taken care of. + Very pleasant. Even put up with my humor and comments. + I’ve never had the hospitalist physician before and was very impressed with her bedside manner and concern. + I just felt the main purpose of the staff was to get me feeling better. + I have noticed an improvement in the care & attention to my concerns. + Staff always let me know who they were and why they were there. + Personnel had great attitude, friendly & caring. Treated very well by everyone. + Always an excellent mixture of foods -- great soups. All the staff were wonderful - place was immaculate and CLEAN. Food is wonderful - make a great hotel + ICU is great. + Thank you for the wonderful bag of food & drinks!

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+ Menu was great. Much care was taken to be sure I got the right food being gluten intolerant. It was a great relief.

Corner Medical + I did not schedule an appointment and after registering I was taken right away. + Asst. was very attentive & made sure she reported all to the PA. + Did not even have time to get into a crossword puzzle. + Don’t remember the time it was not too long. + I was treated like a member of their family! + I saw Dr. Susan Erisman and she is my best doctor ever, she listens to what I tell her and doesn’t give me a hard time about what I should do or the treatment. + I usually see Sandy Ingerson first- she takes the vitals and makes notes for the doctor - she’s always friendly and does a good job. + Dr. Erisman is always caring and very clear in her advice and explanations. I have the utmost confidence in her. + Mary is always fabulous. + I have been a patient since first opened. Very satisfied with everything. + No wait time. No bad experience. + Dr. Gresser is the best doctor I’ve had. + Dr. Hebert is about my age, has personally experienced a lot of my problems. + Appointment same day I phoned!!! (Foot problem). + Dr. Broderick is the best! Very good. + I think Dr. Hebert is tops and would recommend him to anyone. + This was my first visit with Dr. Dargis, after many years with Dr. Thompson. I found her delightful and look forward to a smooth transition. + Tremendous asset to the area! Thank you Corner Medical for all the good you do!! + Love Corner Medical, I have been going there for many years, and will continue, always received excellent care there. + Lori Koshowski has motivated me to make long overdue changes to my diet! I feel so empowered. + Corner Medical is my medical home - Yay! + Excellent care, prompt reporting of test results. + Dr. Hebert very sensitive & kind to elders.

Womens Wellness Center + I always ask for Dr. Paul - She is friendly and makes you feel very comfortable, and is always able to answer questions in terms I understand. + The staff/dr.’s @ WWC are great - would recommend to any woman. + Annie and Tina are very sweet people. They helped scheduled my appointments and asked me if I had questions. + Dr. Kenny was amazing - she didn’t keep me waiting and was prompt and sweet. Very thorough.

+ Dr. Kenny was amazing. She spent extra time with me and took time out of her lunch to provide me with an appointment that I needed. She is amazing and has been helpful since day one. She is great with my needs. + I couldn’t ask for a better doctor. + Appreciated the call I received to let me know Dr. Ready would be covering for Anea (who I had requested). + Margaret was great. + Dr. Kenny is the most attentive physician I have ever had. She takes my concerns very seriously. + She asks questions & is a great listener. The nurses were amazing, they did more than I would ever expect. + Megan Haygood and staff at WWC are caring, professional, know their stuff!! + Care provided in a caring, compassionate manner, yet professional & knowledgeable. + Very impressed with Megan Haygood. Extremely professional and caring.

Outpatient Departments + Yvette a nice positive person to have on your staff - very positive and cheerful - very clear & concise in explaining everything. + Very good experience - Appt. was made very quickly Everyone involved from Concord Health Center to NVRH. + I like this hospital very much everyone I have encountered has been great! Am also grateful that you are scent free. + We experienced a 7 wk. miscarriage - ultrasound tech very caring. + It is very clean! + When I have used NVRH it has been a good experience - and great to get a coffee & something to eat after a fasting test. + Again very efficient and friendly. I was in and out of the lab within 5 or 10 minutes. + Plenty of room and reading material. + The registration person called me ahead of time. I appreciated that. + Registration beforehand by phone is a great times saver. + Charlotte was excellent & very professional. + Very efficient, professional and caring. + All good including the complimentary snack since I had not eaten for 24 hrs. or more. + The pre-registration was done by phone - easy & quick. + Tyler and Mark did a great job! + The receptionist was very friendly and humorous. + I work at NVRH and enjoy looking at it from the patient’s point of view (Radiology is not my department). + I was very impressed (and proud) to know the process is so easy, professional, low-key, and friendly. Plus, my appt. was at 4:00, by which time I was already back in my car! + Absolute cleanliness.

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