Vermont Public Radio: fletcher allen health care
Dr. John Brumsted will serve as president and CEO of Vermont's largest hospital and its integrated system with Central Vermont Medical Center.
Vermont's largest hospital has dropped its plan to sell its outpatient dialysis clinics after state regulators said the sale would not improve care or hold down costs. Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington says it may need to charge more for dialysis services now that the sale is cancelled.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case with implications for Vermont's religious schools and colleges and we look at the challenges medical facilities face as they await the future of the State Hospital.
The outgoing CEO of Fletcher Allen Health Care says figuring out how to pay for health care without diminishing service is the biggest challenge.
Fletcher Allen Health Care was rocked by financial scandal less than a decade ago, and as it emerged from that cloud Dr. Melinda Estes was named CEO. After eight years, she steps down this month and we look back on how FAHC has changed during her tenure.
Officials at Fletcher Allen Health Care say that, after eight years on the job, CEO Melinda Estes is exploring other opportunities. Estes is widely credited with restoring Fletcher Allen's credibility.
Fletcher Allen Health Care has been unscathed, so far, by the resurgence of bedbugs that's been sweeping the country. But the Burlington hospital isn't taking any chances.
Even with Governor-elect Peter Shumlin's decision to use $19 million in federal stimulus for Vermont schools, districts will still face difficult funding choices next year.
Vermont school districts which fell short of state budget goals earned a temporary reprieve this week. But officials warn they'll still have to trim expenses in future budgets.
A new "affiliation" agreement is in the works between two of Vermont's hospitals. The board of Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington approved the proposal on Tuesday. Central Vermont Medical Center's board did the same last week.
Senator Patrick Leahy has helped Fletcher Allen hospital get $1.7 million to pay for advanced medical simulations. The money has helped train National Guard medics for their service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Fletcher Allen hospital will launch a new computerized system this summer to help patients learn more about their health while they recuperate from surgery or an illness. Officials say the bedside lessons are aimed at reducing the chance of patients ending up back in the hospital.
Vermont's largest hospital, Fletcher Allen Health Care, in Burlington, has successfully completed the first phase of its electronic health record project. President Obama has been pushing to computerize all health records within five years. But so far, numbers remain low.
FairPoint Communications says its straightened out problems that plagued it earlier this year, but state officials are still concerned about the company's customer service - and its financial health.




