BMH

You’re not the same driver you were when you were 16…or 35… or 65. As we age, our driving abilities change and our physical state can influence our behind-the-wheel state, too. If you want to refresh your driving skills, and get a discount on car insurance, you will want to register for the upcoming at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. The program will be held on Saturday, May 9, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, in the Brew Barry Conference Center.

Every year, there are new driving regulations and rules, as well as advances in car technology and safety. The course is for people 50 years old and older, and is designed to provide awareness of aging as it affects driving. You will learn about:

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and has been recognized by the with a Gold and Silver Award in recognition of the hospital’s Emergency Department “Rapid Care” campaign. With nearly 3,500 entries, the Healthcare Advertising Awards, sponsored by the (HMR), is the oldest, largest and most widely respected advertising awards competition in the country and one of the ten largest of all advertising awards.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Rapid Care campaign was comprised of various print, digital, and direct mail pieces that utilized a striking blue background offset with large, white icons depicting various accidents, such as falling off a ladder or toppling over the handlebars of a bicycle.

As part of the Wellness in Windham Spring 2015 calendar, BMH certified orthopaedic physician assistants Maureen Mahoney, PA-C, ATC and Wayne Temmen, PA-C, will present a program on Monday, April 27 at 6:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Center. Their topic of discussion will be living with osteoarthritis.

“Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is a chronic condition in which the material that cushions the joints, called cartilage, breaks down,” says Maureen Mahoney. “This causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of joint movement. About 27 million people in America have osteoarthritis.”

As part of the Wellness in Windham Spring 2015 calendar, BMH orthopaedic surgeon Elizabeth McLarney, MD, will present a program on Monday, April 20 at 6:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Center. Her topic of discussion will be shoulder arthritis.

“Almost all people who have arthritis find that it affects their lives in some way. It can affect their everyday activities, their jobs, their financial resources or their relationships with family and friends,” says Dr. McLarney. “Arthritis is not easy to live with, but there is much we can do to change, overcome or cope with the problems it presents.”

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced the addition of Angela Thomas, DPT, to its Rehabilitation Services staff.

Thomas just moved to the Brattleboro area after spending 20 years living in the southwestern United States. She holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University and degrees in Educational Psychology and Physical Education from the University of Arizona. Thomas is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, having served five years as a Command and Control Journeyman.

Most recently, Thomas worked with adult orthopedic patients at a private practice in Tucson, Arizona. Her work experience includes a wide variety of settings, including acute care hospitals and outpatient rehab settings. She will provide both outpatient and inpatient care in her role at BMH.

As part of the Wellness in Windham Spring 2015 calendar, BMH urologist Craig Rinder, MD, will present a program on Monday, April 13 at 6:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Center. His topic of discussion will be kidney stones.

“Kidney stones are notorious for being painful. The feeling has been described as being worse than childbirth labor pains,” says Dr. Rinder. “More than a million kidney stones are diagnosed in the United States each year. About 1 in 10 Americans will suffer from a kidney stone at some point.”

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced that Craig Rinder, MD, will join , effective March 2, 2015.

When the transition is complete, Dr. Rinder’s current practice, known as Craig Rinder, MD, LLC, will be called BMH Urology. Its offices will still be located at 375 Canal Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. The new phone number for making appointments will be 802-251-8720.

Dr. Rinder has been practicing urology in Vermont and New Hampshire for over 17 years. His practice provides medical and surgical care for illnesses involving the male and female urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra), the adrenal glands and the male reproductive tract.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, the , and are launching a new community health needs assessment (CHNA) to engage the communities they serve and learn more about the most pressing health care concerns and needs. Based on the data that the hospitals gather, each hospital will develop an implementation strategy to address prioritized health care needs. This CHNA is also an opportunity for hospitals to maintain compliance with federal regulations.

The three health care organizations are working collaboratively to gather information by conducting focus groups, developing and disseminating a short survey to the general public, and collecting and analyzing quantitative data. The Vermont Department of Health is providing population based indicators as part of the process.

Putney Family Healthcare, a BMH Physician Group member, is undergoing renovations to expand its 79 Main Street facility. Practice officials state that this expansion is in response to a growing demand for medical care in the service area, which includes Putney, Dummerston, Westminster and Saxtons River.

GPI Construction began work on the expansion in November, which will create four additional exam rooms as well as increase office space for administrative staff. BMH Director of Plant Services Rob Prohaska is working with Joe Fortier of GPI to manage the project, which is expected to be completed March 1, 2015.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced that its Director of Emergency Services, Brian Richardson, has been elected Co-Chair of the Vermont Hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (VTHEPC) Committee.

Richardson joins Co-Chair Chris Lackney of in Townshend and Secretary John Berino from in Burlington as leaders of the VTHEPC committee, which is comprised of emergency preparedness coordinators from 14 participating Vermont hospitals and the state department of health.

The Annual Meeting of the Southern Vermont Health Services Corporation and its subsidiary, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) held on November 14, 2014 featured special guests, key topics, and various recognitions.

Keynote speaker , Founding Member, Vermont Green Mountain Care Board and Adjunct Professor, Dept. Community & Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, discussed the evolution of the US health care delivery system and the population health approach to improving the health of communities.

BMH Physician Group announces the addition of Nancy J. Redfield, RN, MS, ARNP, BC to its Post-Acute Care Services.

Redfield will work with Eric Pofcher, MD to provide direct care for patients from the time of discharge from Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, or another acute care facility, to admission at a skilled nursing facility. Their duties include managing medical problems in post-acute medical episode recovery, stabilizing chronic conditions and supporting decisions for individualized end-of-life care.

BMH Physician Group announced that Amanda J. Hepler, MD and Jeff Meckling, PA-C, have joined and are accepting patients.

A graduate of Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Dr. Hepler served her family medicine residency at Latrobe Family Medicine in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

On November 10, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital will be offering a free educational program titled “High School Sports Injuries: Prevention, Treatment and Care,” featuring Physician Assistants Maureen Mahoney, PA-C, and Wayne Temmen, PA-C. They will be presenting information that parents, teachers, coaches and athletes should know about sports injuries, including recognition of an injury and proper treatment so students may recover safely and quickly.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced the hiring of Erinna Cooper, RN as Director of the Birthing Center, effective October 20.

Cooper has 10 years of OB/Maternal-Child health experience at Cheshire Medical Center. From 2010 to 2013, she served as the Permanent Charge Nurse of the OB unit. A role which put her in charge in managing clinical and support staff for patient care activities, among other duties. 

“OB is Erinna’s passion, and becoming the Director of the Birthing Center brings together her experience and enthusiasm,” said Mary Urquhart, RN, Vice President of Patient Care Services at BMH. “We’re looking forward to her joining the team.”

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is proud to announce the recertification of its by the (AACVPR). BMH was recognized for its commitment to improving the quality of life by enhancing standards of care.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g., heart attacks, coronary artery bypass graft surgery) and pulmonary problems (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], respiratory symptoms,) recover faster and improve their quality of life. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling, and support for patients and their families.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced Frederick R. Harrison has been hired as Program Director for the BMH Center for Wound Healing. 

Harrison’s responsibilities include oversight and operation of the Center in conjunction with BMH’s partner, , to promote healing of complex wounds in place of amputation, maintaining quality of life for patients. He will also coordinate outreach and marketing with providers in the service area, stretching west from Bennington, east from Keene, and north from Lebanon, New Hampshire.

(WSD) and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) announce an agreement to collaborate on the construction and operation of a 500 kilo-Watt solar power array on land owned by Winstanley Enterprises. The electricity generated by this array will serve the main BMH hospital building, and generate significant savings for BMH over the twenty-year term of the agreement.

This project is part of an initiative to bring solar power and utility savings to schools, municipalities and hospitals in the Windham and Windsor County region. WSD, a joint venture partnership between of Concord MA, of Waterbury VT and Powersmith Farm, Inc. of Guilford, VT, hopes to develop up to five 500kW net-metered solar arrays on individual lots in the North Springfield Industrial Park.

The office is pleased to welcome back certified physician assistant Wayne Temmen, PA-C, to their team.

Wayne Temmen has more than 30 years of experience in the diagnosis and care of orthopaedic patients under the supervision of orthopaedic surgeons. His background includes surgical assistance for general orthopaedic surgery, assistance with total joint replacements and arthroscopy, and follow-up care for surgical patients.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has been selected by the Vermont AARP Driver Safety Program as the 2014 Host of the Year.

According to David Peters, the Vermont State program coordinator, BMH “has hosted our classes for 20 years and the staff has always provided a level of support and cooperation that is exceptional. I hope that, working together, we have been able to have an impact upon highway safety in Vermont.”

The award will be presented at AARP’s Annual State Meeting on October 29, 2014, at Vermont Technical College in Randolph.