Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is offering a free health education workshop series entitled, “Freedom to Choose: Basic Concepts and Principles,” beginning on September 23, 2014.

Co-sponsored by BMH, Grace Cottage, and the Brattleboro Retreat as part of Wellness in Windham, this new, interactive bimonthly health education series is designed to empower people to advocate for the medical treatments that they want by providing them with the knowledge and language necessary to understand what is available.

In honor of National Child Passenger Safety Week on September 14-20, 2014, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is promoting a child car seat inspection service offered free by the State of Vermont to parents and caregivers.

“With a new baby comes a lot of planning and preparation to welcome your new little one into your life,” says Debbie Partrick, RNC, the director of Women’s and Surgical Services at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. “There are baby showers, decorating the nursery, and getting everything ready. What new parents often forget is thinking about that brand new car seat or a previously used car seat.”

New Grief Support Group

A new Six-Week Grief Support Group for adults begins on Thursday September 11th and will meet each Thursday from 4:30-6:00 pm, ending October 16th. The group is free of charge and open to anyone in the community grieving the death loss of a loved one, no matter where you are on your journey of grief.

Grief Support Groups offer a safe, mutually supportive environment for sharing experiences, insight and encouragement, through discussion, handouts, and suggestions for moving through grief.

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast
August 15, 2014
Gibson-Aiken Center

“Health and Aging: a Federal Policy Update”

Presenter: Sophie Kasimow  US Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Staff Director, Subcommittee on Primary Health & Aging
Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Phone: www.sanders.senate.gov/help

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Services will be offering its seven week course “Standing Tall Spine Health: Level 1” starting on Monday, Sept 8 in the BMH Exercise Room.

Classes take place from 4:00 to 5:00 PM every Monday through October 20. Advance registration is required and the fee is $60. Contact the BMH Rehabilitation Services department at 802-257-8255 for more information or to register.

A new 8 week Bereaved Parents Support Group for parents mourning the death of their teenage or young adult child will be held at Brattleboro Area Hospice. The group will meet Tuesdays, beginning August 19, from 4:30-6:00 pm. Cheryl Richards will be the facilitator. Please call Cheryl at (802) 257-0775, X108 by August 12 to register for the group.

The death of a child is one of life’s most devastating losses. Sharing and connecting with other grieving parents can be a powerful component in the healing process.

By Dr. Kathleen McGraw, CMO

Summer is here in full force, and with that comes more outdoor activities, scraped knees, and the occasional summer cold. However this past month we also had a more unwelcome guest in our community – Pertussis. The Vermont Department of Public Health has reported 11 cases of Pertussis in Windham County during the month of June, most of which were children ages 3-17. While none of these cases have been seen in at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, we do see the need to do all that we can to prevent its further spread.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center, the Windham County Breastfeeding Coalition, and the BMH Ten-Step Committee to Empower Mothers and Nurture Babies are joining forces to celebrate the 2014 World Breastfeeding Week during the first week of August.

This year’s theme, as established by the (WABA), is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal – for Life!”

Just So Pediatrics is pleased to welcome new pediatrician Dr. Heather Lesage-Horton to their group, as of July 15, 2014.

Dr. Lesage-Horton, who is board certified, most recently worked at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, she earned her medical doctorate and bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont, and completed her pediatrics internship and residency at the University of Michigan Health System, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

The Brattleboro Walk-In Clinic will host a free blood glucose screening at the Brattleboro Farmers’ Market tomorrow, Saturday July 12, from 9am to noon.

The market is open from 9 to 2, outdoors on Rte 9 in West Brattleboro. 802-254-8885

is pleased to welcome new nurse-midwife Meredith Merritt, CNM, to the practice.

Merritt received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Vermont in Burlington and her Master of Science degree in Nursing from Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky. She resides in Brattleboro with her husband Peter, their five-month-old daughter Zora, and their dog Gary who came to them through rescue two years ago. Merritt’s hobbies include hiking, running, yoga, traveling, and time spent with her family outside.

We have not been receiveing our Health Connect Bill in the mail.

Today I tried to make a payment via phone for Health Connect. Here is the log of what transpired.

• On hold. 
• After 27 minutes, talked to human being, whom I was able to tell that I wanted to make a payment. 
• Transferred to next line. Now waiting to talk to payment specialist. 
  

Hospitals can keep patients overnight — even for several nights — for “observation care” without telling the patient that they are officially an out-patient, even though they are in a hospital bed. Medicare patients can then be surpised to receive high bills which which are not covered, but should have been if they had been an in-patient. 

It is unconscionable — but unfortunately not so unusual — that at at a time of greatest vulnerability, a patient is on their own to defend themselves against a powerful institution. Here is a link to an article which warns patients who are kept overnight at a hospital that it is essential to verify exactly what their patient status is, since the hospital is not required to tell them.

Subscribers Benefit from Substantial Savings on Ambulance Services

BRATTLEBORO, VT—Rescue Inc., is in the midst of its subscription campaign, by which residents may sign up at a flat annual fee to receive substantial savings for the cost of certain ambulance services not covered by insurance.

Drew Hazelton, Chief of Operations, explains that for someone who had three ambulance calls in a year, the total cost could be $1500 or more. “For an uninsured person, our subscription plan could pay the full amount on a qualifying bill,” he said. “For an insured person, their plan may still require a patient co-pay, or the cost of the ambulance service might go toward an insurance deductible — but again, with a subscription they may not have to pay anything, if the call falls under the subscription parameters.”

With the launch of a new patient portal this month, called “MyHealthPortal”, now offers patients the option to access select portions of their health records online.

MyHealthPortal, featured on the home page will launch June 2014, giving patients fast, easy access to their personal health information. MyHealthPortal is a personalized, safe, secure and completely confidential communication link between the patient and the providers.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Center for Wound Healing was recently awarded a Center of Distinction Award, by , the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services. The Center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for twelve consecutive months, including patient satisfaction scores over 92%, a minimum 91% wound healing rate within 30 median days to heal, and other quality outcomes. Of the 511 centers eligible for the Center of Distinction award, only 157 achieved the honor.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that Wanda Smith has been recognized as the 2014 BMH Employee of the Year.

An employee at BMH since 1980, Smith was chosen to receive this honor due to her long-time dedication, attentiveness to safety and cleanliness, respect for patient privacy, positive attitude and sense of humor, and pride in a job well done.

Smith works in the Environmental Services Department. She was previously recognized as the BMH Employee of the Month in November 2009.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital President & CEO Steven R. Gordon has been honored with a 2014 American Hospital Association Grassroots Champions Award for exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of a hospital’s mission.

The (AHA), in partnership with the state hospital associations, presents these awards annually to one individual from each state, with winners being chosen by the state association. The 2014 honorees were recognized at a special Breakfast of Grassroots Champions at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting on May 6 in Washington, DC.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Brattleboro Area Hospice are co-sponsoring a free interactive workshop on May 19 entitled, “How to Talk About the End of Life.”

Talking about one’s dying is not something most people feel comfortable doing. We would rather put it off until we absolutely have to. Even healthcare providers avoid it. This interactive, how-to workshop will include personal stories and examples of the powerful benefits of talking about it.

On May 19, at 6:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Room, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital will be offering a free educational program entitled, “Understanding Back Pain and Sciatica: When is Surgery Advised,” by Dr. Jon Thatcher.

Thatcher, who is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, will discuss the causes of back pain, surgical and nonsurgical treatment options, and when surgery is appropriate.

“Many people suffer from back pain, and most back pain can be treated conservatively without surgery,” says Thatcher. “Surgery becomes more effective when leg pain is caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back known as sciatica.”