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FY2010 Strategic Initiatives

Strategic Initiatives and Process for Public Participation

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STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FY 2010

Patient-Focused Operational and Clinical Excellence

PRISM (Patient Record & Information Systems Management): Fletcher Allen's Electronic Health Record) Rollout

FY ’09 saw the successful roll-out of our new electronic health record in our inpatient areas, the Emergency and Pharmacy departments, and our Walk-In Care Center. Our implementation continues in 2010 with our ambulatory implementation, which includes all outpatient clinics – both primary care and specialty care. PRISM will also be going live over the coming year with many other functions, including physician note templates, the Beacon oncology suite and My Chart, which will allow patients secure access to portions of their electronic health record. The full PRISM implementation is scheduled to be complete by December 2010.

Reduce/Eliminate Health Care-Associated Infections and Clinical Errors

We had great success in reducing our rate of health care-associated infections in 2009, reducing by 16 percent our composite infection incidence rate per 1,000 patient days for three infections that can add to morbidity and mortality: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) ; and Primary Bloodstream Infections (BSI). It is important to note that our baseline for most of the infections tracked is already below the national average. Our goal for FY ’10 is to continue to reduce these infections, with a target of zero infections. We are also committed to reducing clinical errors at our medical center and embracing the concept of “get it right the first time” across the organization.

H1N1 Response

A strategic initiative for FY ‘10 has focused on our response to the H1N1 pandemic. As a critical resource for the state of Vermont, we have been diligent in our preparations for the pandemic, and we are committed to providing accurate information to our employees and patients in an environment where resources and information change constantly. To this end, we continue to work closely with the Vermont Department of Health to monitor the situation.

Academic Excellence

Delivery of Cardiovascular Care

Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Program – One of the two key areas of focus for the Cardiology Department has been the Myocardial Infarction (MI) Program. This program targets patients who suffer a type of heart attack known as a STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction). STEMI patients experience a complete blockage of an artery in their heart, requiring early coronary intervention to open the artery. The goal is to open the artery within 90 minutes if the patient presents at Fletcher Allen and within 120 minutes if the patient presents initially to a community hospital within 60 minutes transport of Fletcher Allen.

We expanded our successful STEMI Program to include the state’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) office and several community hospitals. As a result of this new partnership, patients at hospitals within 60 minutes transport of Fletcher Allen – in St. Albans, Central Vermont, Middlebury, Randolph and Morrisville – are receiving coronary intervention at Fletcher Allen within a median time range of 90 to 110 minutes. Thus, our program has expanded the region in which the most advanced emergency care for STEMI patients can be provided. Recently we have extended our STEMI Program to patients farther away, including Rutland and hospitals in northern New York such as Alice Hyde Medical Center and Canton-Potsdam Hospital. We have developed protocols to initiate pharmacological intervention at the outlying hospital before the patient is transported to Fletcher Allen for subsequent coronary intervention.

Heart Failure Program - Another focus is heart failure. We are implementing a number of strategies aimed at reducing hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations due to the complications of this condition. The Department assigned a nurse practitioner to see all hospitalized patients with heart failure. This advanced nurse practitioner also followed up with these patients within one to two weeks of discharge to ensure they were taking their medications correctly. We are expanding this program to include ambulatory patients. We have developed a database of all patients at Fletcher Allen who have systolic dysfunction and have hired an ambulatory nurse to support the expanded program. The Vermont Department of Health also has agreed to partner with us in this initiative as part of the Blueprint for Health program, a pilot program that provides a patient-centered medical home for patients with – or at risk for – chronic conditions. Plans include the development of a statewide database of patients with reduced heart functioning and the creation of an automated telephone system to check on these patients.

Stroke Prevention and Care

Regional Stroke Program – We are in the process of developing a business plan for a Regional Telestroke Program, to improve the care of stroke patients at community hospitals in Vermont and northern New York. The program, called ASTRO – Acute Stroke Telemedicine Regional Organization – will allow our neurologists to examine patients in remote area hospitals via telemedicine connection and review computed tomography (CT) scans in real time in order to advise regional providers regarding diagnosis and treatment, and, if appropriate, recommend the use of clot-busting drugs.

Regional Research Network -- Fletcher Allen was one of five academic medical centers in the country to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health for a secondary stroke prevention study that attempts to prevent heart attack and stroke in patients who are in a pre-diabetic state known as insulin resistance. As a component of the Regional Telestroke Program, we intend to approach community hospitals to help recruit patients to participate in this research protocol.

REMOT/TIA Protocol – Fletcher Allen is also working on developing a program to immediately evaluate patients who suffer transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which are often the first warning symptoms for stroke. The stroke team at Fletcher Allen will be working to complete a business plan in 2010 and finalize protocols for the Rapid Evaluation and Management of TIA (REMOT) patients within 12 hours.

Coordinated Health System

Vermont Blueprint for Health

In FY ’09, Fletcher Allen’s adult primary care clinic, Aesculapius Medical Center, became the second of two pilot communities in Vermont for the Patient-Centered Medical Home Model Project. A medical home provides and coordinates care for patients who have, or are at risk for, chronic disease. A major component of the Vermont Blueprint for Health, patient-centered medical homes are intended to improve outcomes and deliver care more cost-effectively by putting more resources into preventive care. A key attribute of the medical home is the existence of a Community Health Team, led by a registered nurse and including a patient educator, community social worker, registered dieticians, certified diabetes educators, and other ancillary supports. For example, Fletcher Allen’s model includes a partnership with the Burlington YMCA to provide fitness training. Fletcher Allen’s Community Health Team also provides services to patients of Eugene Moore, M.D., a Burlington community Internal Medicine provider. After implementing the two patient-centered medical home pilot sites in 2009, we will begin to introduce the model at Milton Family Practice and Given Health Care Williston in 2010. A separate Blueprint grant provides the funds to test a model for patients with congestive heart failure that coordinates care between the cardiology specialist and the primary care medical home. During 2011 we hope additional funding will support expanding the patient-centered medical home concept to all our adult primary care and family medicine sites, as well as to additional community-based practices.

PRISM Regional

PRISM Regional is an effort to enable community hospitals and physician practices in Vermont and northern New York to purchase the Epic electronic health record software product through Fletcher Allen. This is a benefit to smaller hospitals and practices, as Epic does not offer its software directly to hospitals with fewer than 400 beds. The resulting regional health information network will improve coordination of care for patients who are treated at multiple sites and will more effectively use region-wide resources. In FY ’09, we developed a pricing model for practices and hospitals in the region. Several organizations and practices have expressed interest or signed letters of intent; in FY ’09 and FY ’10 we will continue work to increase participation.

Learning and Growth

Becoming One

In FY ’09 we introduced Becoming One, a cultural strategy that empowers our employees to work together to provide our patients with the highest quality academic health care and a seamless care experience. An employee education and training effort was launched and has continued into 2010. The Fletcher Allen Leadership Institute and Workforce Development program has presented programs for employees in support of our cultural strategy.

In FY ’10 our New Employee Orientation program was redesigned to better reflect our commitment to our cultural strategy, introducing new staff to our history, values and culture. Earlier in the year our Becoming One Leadership Team proposed five key initiatives to promote a culture of collaboration, pride and ownership across the organization, and our Recruitment Strategy Committee has formulated a recruitment approach that better aligns with our role as Vermont’s Academic Medical Center.

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OPENNESS AND COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES

Employee Communication

Employee Advisory Committee

Fletcher Allen’s 18-member Employee Advisory Committee encourages employee input on workplace issues. This committee meets quarterly to discuss issues that directly impact employee satisfaction, with the goal of enhancing communication between senior leadership and employees. In 2009, the committee focused on furthering Fletcher Allen’s efforts to Become One for our patients, streamlining the patient care experience as we work to provide our patients and families with the highest quality health care.

Employee Opinion Survey

In the fall of 2009, Fletcher Allen employees participated in their fourth employee opinion survey to measure overall general employee satisfaction and employees’ perceptions of specific aspects of the organization’s culture. Our employee General Satisfaction score continues to rise and remains significantly above the national norm as measured by similar surveys of other academic medical centers around the country.

Results of the 2009 survey were shared with all departments and action plans were developed and are being implemented as we continue to work toward enhancing employee satisfaction and engagement.

“Good Catch Award” Encourages Employee Participation in Proactive Patient Safety Initiative

Fletcher Allen’s electronic event reporting system offers an easily accessible, non-punitive way for employees and physicians to report patient safety and quality issues. In an effort to develop a more proactive focus and maintain the organization’s very positive culture of safety, the Patient Safety Department introduced the “Good Catch” program two years ago. This program encourages, supports, and rewards the identification and reporting of potential or “near miss” events in order to proactively impact the issues and improve the safety of our patients.

Each month, the Patient Safety department reviews all the event reports submitted and chooses one that meets specific “Good Catch” criteria, such as: identifies a significant systems or patient safety issue; is a “near miss” or potential event; identifies an issue that affects more than one department; and is reported by a staff member or resident, not by management. The person who reported the event is recognized with the “Good Catch” award for the month.

"Just Ask" Program

In 2003, Fletcher Allen implemented the "Just Ask" program. Through this program, employees can ask questions or offer comments to senior management at Fletcher Allen and receive responses in a "Just Ask" newsletter published by the Human Resources Department. Employees submit their questions through email or in drop-boxes at different locations throughout the organization.

Senior Leader Rounds

Melinda L. Estes, M.D., President and CEO, regularly visits with employees in different parts of the organization throughout the year. Sometimes during these visits, Dr. Estes tours the area and meets staff. Other tours are town meeting-style, with Dr. Estes answering employees’ questions on a range of issues.

Other Openness Initiatives

"Call Someone Now" Service for Patients and Families

In May 2009, Fletcher Allen began offering inpatients and families the "Call Someone Now" Service, a direct line to call for urgent help during the hospital stay. This new service marks an important step in Fletcher Allen’s ongoing efforts to enhance the support and communication we offer our patients as we comply with the National Patient Safety Goals. The "Call Someone Now" service brings a designated team to the patient’s bedside when there is an urgent need for help. Patients and family members may call ONE-NOW (1669) when the patient and/or family member sees a noticeable change in the patient’s medical condition, and the health care team is not available to address these urgent concerns. The call is immediately answered and a dedicated ONE-NOW response team is sent to the bedside.

"Speak Up" Campaign

Since 2007, Fletcher Allen has participated in a nationwide campaign called "Speak Up" that encourages patients to be active participants in their health care and helps improve the safety of their care. The campaign urges patients to take a role in preventing health care errors by becoming active, involved and informed participants in their care. Fletcher Allen continues to promote "Speak Up" in its patient guide and in posters across the organization. For more information, call the James J. Jeffords Institute for Quality and Operational Effectiveness, (802) 847-2468.

Public Reporting of Quality Data

Since February 2006, as part of its commitment to service excellence, Fletcher Allen launched a Quality of Care section on its public website, providing detailed information about how it performs on quality of care measures. The website includes measures that are publicly available in Fletcher Allen’s Act 53 Quality Report, as well as additional quality measures for birthing, cardiology, general surgery, heart surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, neurology, pneumonia care, pediatrics at Vermont Children's Hospital and nursing. Each section includes data on clinical information, length of stay, patient satisfaction, and numbers of cases seen (volume). To visit the site, go to: http://www.fletcherallen.org/about/health_report_cards/quality_of_care_reports/

Public Reporting of Financial Data

Fletcher Allen began making its quarterly financial information public with the release of the first quarter results for FY 2003 in February 2003. The audited financial statements for the years ending September 30, 2008 and 2009, as well as the quarterly results for FY 2003 through the fourth quarter of FY 2009, are published on the Fletcher Allen website. To visit the site, go to: http://www.fletcherallen.org/about/financial_information/

Plan for Improving Institutional Communication and Openness

Fletcher Allen adopted a plan for improving institutional communication and openness in 2004, in response to one of the conditions of the Renaissance Project Certificate of Need (CON) approval, which was issued in November 2003. The goal of this plan is to improve Fletcher Allen's communication process, and to ensure increased transparency and inclusiveness in our operations and decision-making. For more information, call the Office of the General Counsel at (802) 847-3968.

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STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING

Fletcher Allen’s Strategic Plan

In 2006, building on the many strides the organization made over the previous several years, Fletcher Allen initiated a new strategic planning process looking out to the year 2010 and beyond. This process was based on a vision articulated by Melinda L. Estes, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer: to become a national model for the delivery of high-quality academic health care for a rural region.

The process included input from all levels of Fletcher Allen’s leadership, as well as the focused attention of the senior executive team and the organization’s Board of Trustees. It is based on the principles of the Balanced Scorecard, an approach to strategic management developed by professors at the Harvard Business School designed to help organizations clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. Using the scorecard as a guide, Fletcher Allen’s administrative and clinical leaders developed a strategy management system and strategy map that serves to inform all staff and employees about the organization’s strategic objectives. This system allows the organization to clearly articulate its vision and strategy, measure progress towards reaching its goals, allocate resources to critical projects and initiatives and ensure that all areas of the organization are aligned and working together in support of the strategy.

During 2008, the organization’s strategy map was updated to reflect ongoing efforts to achieve our vision. Progress on specific strategic initiatives is reviewed by senior leadership each month. In addition, a Strategy Management Committee reviews our progress on our strategic initiatives each quarter and meets annually to develop and prioritize new strategic initiatives for the following fiscal year. For more information, or if you would like a copy of the Strategy Map, contact Diana Scalise, vice president of Planning and Business Development, at (802) 847-3964.

Regional Planning Efforts

Fletcher Allen, in partnership with the Champlain Initiative, the Regional Planning Commission and the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC), is participating in an interdisciplinary planning effort designed to build connections among planning efforts at organizations in different fields throughout the region. For more information about this effort, contact Diana Scalise, vice president of Planning and Business Development, at (802) 847-3964.

The Mental Health Program Quality Committee

This committee, originally established as a subcommittee of the Mental Health Task Force, meets monthly and is open to the public. It includes representatives of a broad range of mental health advocacy groups, representatives of the Vermont Division of Mental Health Services, members of the public, health care providers, and consumer and family members. For more information, contact Sarah Sterling at (802) 847-2124.

Understanding Community Health Care Needs

In 2007, as part of its strategic plan, Fletcher Allen convened an internal group to look at how it allocates community benefits, with the goal of better aligning community support with strategic goals and unmet needs in the community. Since that time, the group has grown to include representatives from senior leadership, Community Health Improvement, planning and strategic management, budget, the Emergency Department, the James M. Jeffords Institute for Quality and Operational Effectiveness, government relations, case management, and the medical group. To date the group has collected all Fletcher Allen's community benefit activities into a single list that includes all efforts by Fletcher Allen staff as well as all community-based programs that receive our financial support. The group assessed this list against Fletcher Allen's strategic priorities, and developed a three-year strategic "Community Benefits Plan" based on these priorities. For more information, contact the Office of Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

Fletcher Allen Neighborhood Task Force

In 1999, as part of a Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement between the City of Burlington and Fletcher Allen, Fletcher Allen established a task force to address parking and traffic related to the construction of Fletcher Allen's Ambulatory Care Center. The task force continues today and has remained active, although its name was changed in 2009 from the Ward 1 Parking and Traffic Task Force to reflect the broadening of issues it reviews. It consists of representatives from the Ward 1 Neighborhood Planning Assembly and Fletcher Allen. The work of the task force guides Fletcher Allen's strategic planning and decision-making concerning parking and traffic, as well as planning, zoning, permitting and issues of general concern to our neighbors on the Medical Center Campus. For more information, contact the Office of Government Relations at (802) 847-5103.

Vermont Children's Hospital Community Advisory Council

The Vermont Children's Hospital Community Advisory Council is a group of representatives from non-profits, businesses, the education sector, social services, children's services, state agencies and the Vermont Legislature, along with parents in the community and physicians, nurses and staff from the Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen. The group began meeting in January 2004 and meets on a quarterly basis. Council members are asked to serve as consultants in the strategic planning of new initiatives for Vermont Children's Hospital; to provide input from the community so that the Vermont Children's Hospital meets the needs of those it serves; to review the progress of ongoing clinical, educational, research and financial developments that are designed to improve care to children in the community; and to be ambassadors on an ongoing basis for the work of Vermont Children's Hospital by helping to define our goals and objectives for each fiscal/academic year. For more information, contact Sue Victory at (802) 656-3243.

Elder Care Council

In September 2003, Fletcher Allen formed a Community Elder Care Council composed of 15 representatives from local non-profit agencies, the state of Vermont Agency on Disability, Aging and Independent Living, researchers from the University of Vermont, a primary care physician, and the community at large, in addition to four staff members from Fletcher Allen's Elder Care Services. The council works with Elder Care Services to help prioritize elder care issues in the community and state, and develop strategies to address them. The council meets quarterly.

Collaboration with Other Hospitals, Health Systems and Agencies

Fletcher Allen is actively engaged with hospitals, health systems and agencies in Vermont, as well as in areas of New York and New Hampshire, to ensure that its strategic plan responds to the needs of people in outlying communities as appropriately as possible. It is also engaged in collaborative efforts to improve health care services and technology throughout the state. Examples of these efforts include:

  • Establishment of outreach clinics throughout Vermont and northern New York to ensure access to specialty services in local communities as appropriate and as requested. Fletcher Allen's health care professionals are currently involved in more than 100 outreach programs, clinics or services. Examples of such services include clinics in cardiology, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, rheumatology, otolaryngology, dermatology, endocrinology, perinatal outreach and teletrauma and radiology services. In addition, Fletcher Allen specialists work with local community hospitals and physicians to help them start up and provide programs that benefit the people of their community.
  • Laboratory Outreach Services. Fletcher Allen’s laboratory has had an extensive outreach program for more than 25 years and currently serves as the reference laboratory for all of the hospitals in Vermont. In addition, Fletcher Allen is a founding member and serves as the reference laboratory for the Northeast Clinical Laboratory Alliance (NECLA) – a group of hospitals in Vermont. NECLA was formed in 1996.
  • Ensuring appropriate access to critical care transport services through Fletcher Allen Coordinated Transport (FACT), a wholly-owned subsidiary that owns and operates ambulances in Vermont and northern New York. FACT is based in Burlington, and also has an ambulance stationed at Canton-Potsdam Hospital in Potsdam, NY and Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, VT, to ensure appropriate access to this service for people in that region.
  • Participating in the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care. VPQHC is a private, non-profit corporation focused on statewide health care quality initiatives. Fletcher Allen's vice president for Quality serves on its board of directors, and numerous Fletcher Allen physicians and nurses actively participate on VPQHC projects.
  • Collaborating with the state of Vermont on the creation of a new approach to psychiatric care to replace the Vermont State Hospital. Fletcher Allen, as the state’s academic medical center, has been a key participant in this ongoing dialogue. Robert Pierattini, M.D., physician leader of Psychiatry at Fletcher Allen, represents Fletcher Allen’s Psychiatry Service in these discussions, and served on The Futures Advisory Committee, a group of Vermont citizens and mental health professionals that studied redesigning the state’s mental health system.
  • Partnering with Vermont HITEC to help address critical workforce development needs by training unemployed and underemployed Vermonters. Fletcher Allen and Vermont HITEC developed their partnership in 2004 with funding assistance from both the State of Vermont and the U.S. Department of Labor. Most recently Fletcher Allen and Vermont HITEC began recruiting candidates for the partnership’s first training program for Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs). The LNA program follows the success of six previous training programs between Fletcher Allen and Vermont HITEC, funded with support from Senator Patrick J. Leahy.
  • Collaborating with the State of Vermont and Vermont hospitals and health care organizations to promote the use of health information technology and develop a statewide information technology plan. In November 2004, a 501(c) (3) organization, Vermont Information Technology Leaders, or VITL, was formed to oversee this effort. Chief Information Officer Chuck Podesta serves on the VITL board, and employees from Fletcher Allen’s Information Services are actively involved with the project. VITL delivered the Vermont Health Information Technology Plan to the Vermont General Assembly in July 2007. The plan was developed with assistance from Fletcher Allen staff participating in the project. Fletcher Allen has collaborated with VITL as it has developed its electronic health record, PRISM, will continue to collaborate with VITL as PRISM is implemented, and will work with VITL on future projects involving health care data exchange.
  • Participating in the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS), a statewide network of health systems that promotes collaboration among health care organizations, and works to influence political, economic, social and regulatory issues facing health care providers in the state, with the goal of improving the delivery of health care to Vermonters.

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ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Meetings

Board of Trustees Meetings

With the exception of January, July and November, the Board meets monthly. Board meetings include a public session in which the public is given an opportunity to comment on matters relating to Fletcher Allen's operations. All business that involves neither confidential nor proprietary information is conducted in the public sessions of these meetings.

Volunteering

Volunteer Opportunities

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer at Fletcher Allen through our Volunteer Services Department. More than 750 active volunteers provide supplemental services that contribute to patient care. Members of the public can volunteer by providing services and programs for patients, or by providing many other types of behind-the-scenes support. Volunteer opportunities include many roles:

  • Information/Reception Desk
  • Patient Guide Program
  • Hospital Elder Life Program
  • Emergency Department
  • Liaison to families in the Surgical Waiting Room, in the Emergency Department, Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Unit Waiting Rooms, Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Taylor Hospitality Room
  • Library/Community Health Resource Center
  • Clerical support
  • "Art from the Heart" Program, which provides art activities for children at Vermont Children's Hospital
  • Flower delivery/Book cart
  • Gift shops/Replays (resale shop)
  • FAVORS (Fletcher Allen Volunteers Offer Room Service) Program
  • Footnoter's Program

More information about these and other volunteer opportunities, including how to apply to become a volunteer, are available through Fletcher Allen's website. In addition, the Fletcher Allen Junior Volunteer Program is available to high school students in the summer. For more information, call the Volunteer Services Department at (802) 847-3536.

Fletcher Allen Auxiliary

The Fletcher Allen Auxiliary is a group of more than 200 community members who support the mission of Fletcher Allen through financial contributions and by providing services for patients, their families and staff. The Auxiliary administers a variety of programs and entities that support Fletcher Allen, including the Fletcher Allen Gift Shops, Replays Resale Shop, a baby car seat program and many special events that provide more than $200,000 a year to fund health care initiatives and services across the organization. One of the Auxiliary's special events is the annual Bushels of Baskets and Afternoon Tea, held annually in the fall.

The Auxiliary also provides ongoing support to a variety of programs and services, including the FAVORS Room Service Program for inpatients and the Taylor Family Hospitality Room.

The Auxiliary welcomes new members. For more information, call Volunteer Services at (802) 847-3536.

HEALTH EDUCATION

Frymoyer Community Health Resource Center – The Frymoyer Community Health Resource Center, located in the Main Lobby of the Ambulatory Care Center on Fletcher Allen's Medical Center Campus, is a health library and resource center providing free service for patients and families and members of the public. The Center serves approximately 10,000 people annually. Services provided include Internet access, books, magazines, periodicals and experienced staff to assist with computer searches and other resources. It is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. The center can be reached by calling (802) 847-8821 or by email: resourcecenter@vtmednet.org

Dana Medical Library – Located in the new Medical Education Center, the University of Vermont's Dana Medical Library is a resource for students, faculty, clinical staff and community members. Patrons keep up-to-date on the latest research with a new journal browsing area and leading electronic resources. Professional health science librarians are available to support research endeavors. The library can be reached at (802) 656-2201, or http://library.uvm.edu/dana/

Community Medical School – Community Medical School is a series of free medical lectures by Fletcher Allen/University of Vermont physicians and researchers - held two semesters each year. The series provides information on the latest science and research in the field of medicine, and is told in an easy-to-understand format. It is extremely popular, regularly drawing 150 to 200 people per session. Call (802) 847-2886 for more information, or visit www.med.uvm.edu/cms.

The Healthsource Community Education Series – A series of free and low-cost health education classes, including classes such as Baby Care Basics, CPR, Living with Epilepsy, Senior Swim, T'ai Chi, Heart Healthy Living, Diabetes Fitness Class in partnership with the YMCA, Financial Health, Acupuncture, Tobacco Cessation, and many more. This series meets three times a year. For more information, call the Office of Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278, or visit http://www.fletcherallen.org/community_resources/classes_events/

Eleanor B. Daniels Lecture Series – The Eleanor B. Daniels Fund was created in honor of Eleanor Daniels, a beloved artist, mother and teacher. Its mission is to provide women's health education, research and development efforts for gynecologic malignancies and other women's health topics and was founded through The Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Fletcher Allen. The EBD Fund hosts free educational programs for the public each fall and spring. For more information, call (802) 434-3979, email sdaniels2@cs.com or visit www.ebdfund.org

Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen Programs – The Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen, a full-service hospital within a hospital, shares health information with children and families, and sponsors fun activities for kids at public events throughout the year. Monty the Moose, the mascot of Vermont Children's Hospital, also attends many public events to meet and greet children and parents. For more information about Vermont Children's Hospital activities, contact Sue Victory, senior administrative coordinator, Vermont Children's Hospital, at (802) 656-3243 or by email: susan.victory@uvm.edu

Other Programs and Conferences – Fletcher Allen participates in and sponsors a wide range of educational conferences and health and safety awareness programs throughout the area. In addition, Fletcher Allen sponsors community events, which in the past year included special events held by health-related organizations, such as the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Luncheon, the MS Dinner of Champions, the Vermont City Marathon, and many others. For more information, contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at (802) 847-2886.

Radio and Television Programs – Fletcher Allen sponsors health education and information programs on local television and radio stations on a regular basis. These programs include:

  • Healthsource - a bi-weekly consumer health information radio program that airs every other Sunday at 6:15 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. on WJOY 1230 AM and at 9:15 p.m. on WJOY, WOKO 98.9 FM and WKOL 105 FM.
  • First with Kids - a weekly program featuring Vermont Children's Hospital Chief of Pediatrics Lewis First, M.D., that airs on WCAX Channel 3 and on WOKO 98.9 FM, and is published in weekly newspapers throughout Chittenden County. The show airs on Channel 3 at 5:45 a.m. Mondays, and 6:30 a.m. Wednesdays. It airs on WOKO at 7:50 a.m. Tuesdays, 11:50 a.m. Thursdays, and 11:50 a.m. Sundays.

For more information about these programs, contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at (802) 847-2886, or visit Fletcher Allen's Web site.

Fletcher Allen Website – Fletcher Allen has a new public website, which features a fresh look and enhanced content. The new site includes a contemporary design and a more user-friendly format. The site is organized in a patient-friendly way, making it easier for our patients and families to find the information they are seeking. The site also offers easily accessible community information such as support groups, a calendar listing of Fletcher Allen classes and events, and links to health information. To learn more, visit www.FletcherAllen.org.

 

FREE AND LOW-COST HEALTH AND WELLNESS CARE

Fletcher Allen offers free and low-cost health screenings and prevention and wellness programs to the public on a regular basis. These include:

Screenings and Community Health Care*

  • Free monthly blood pressure screenings
  • Cholesterol screenings, $18-$21, held periodically
  • Free foot care for seniors and people with disabilities through the "Footnoters" program
  • Women's health screenings

*NOTE: Some of these screenings are held annually; others are offered periodically.

Memory Screenings – The Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit offers free memory screenings to the community on "Memory Mondays" which occur on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. The unit also provides memory screening over the phone. For more information, call Sally Ross Nolan at (802) 847-9488, or visit http://www.uvm.edu/~cnru/.

Breastfeeding and "Birthing From Within" Classes – The Claire M. Lintilhac Nurse Midwifery Service at Fletcher Allen offers breastfeeding classes that are open to the public. The breastfeeding classes are held at the Nurse Midwifery Service's Williston office, 353 Blair Park Road in Williston. The "Birthing From Within" childbirth class series is held four times a year. The sessions alternate between the Williston site and the Midwifery Service's Burlington location, at the Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic in the Ambulatory Care Center at Fletcher Allen. For more information, call (802) 847-2237 or (802) 847-1245.

Health Assistance Program – Fletcher Allen's Health Assistance Program helps patients get access to medical care, medications and insurance programs for free or reduced cost. It also provides education about prevention and assistance with other community services such as transportation. To reach the Health Assistance Program, call (802) 847-6984.

Employer Health Management – Through its Employer Health Management program, Fletcher Allen offers wellness services for large and small businesses throughout Vermont. The program is designed to help businesses plan effective, targeted programs for employees and dependents that result in measurable improvements in financial and health outcomes. For more information, call Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

Tobacco Cessation – Fletcher Allen's Community Health Improvement offers ongoing classes and workshops in tobacco cessation. For more information about tobacco cessation classes, call Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

Falls and Fires Program – This program educates elderly and disabled residents about the risk of falls and fires in their homes, and helps prevent these events. It provides home modifications for people who are financially eligible. For more information, call Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

Support Groups – Fletcher Allen facilitates a large number of support groups for patients and families. For more information, call the Frymoyer Community Health Resource Center at (802) 847-8821. Visit Fletcher Allen's listing of support groups in Vermont.

For more information about these or other programs, contact Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Community Surveys

For over 20 years, Fletcher Allen has conducted a variety of Community Needs Assessments, often in collaboration with the United Way of Chittenden County, the Champlain Initiative, and other community partners. Members of the public are surveyed about health and social service needs, and have the opportunity to participate in a public meeting about the assessment. Information gathered from the assessment is incorporated into Fletcher Allen's strategic plan. For information about this process, call the Office of Community Health Improvement, (802) 847-2278.

Community Leader Interviews

In late 2009 and early 2010, as part of its strategic plan, Fletcher Allen conducted interviews with community leaders at youth-serving agencies. Participants assessed Fletcher Allen’s current efforts in working with the external community partners – and its ability to provide for future needs. Information gathered from this work will inform Fletcher Allen’s strategic plan and its efforts to understand community youth-serving needs and how to best work in partnership with local organizations to address those needs.

Community Partnerships

Fletcher Allen has forged partnerships with numerous organizations, including non-profits, businesses, educational institutions and public agencies to improve the health of the community. One of these partnerships is the Champlain Initiative - a community-wide partnership in the Champlain Valley largely supported by Fletcher Allen, which has become a national model for other organizations wanting to improve their communities. For more information about Fletcher Allen's partnerships, go to http://www.fletcherallen.org/community_resources/chi/ or call the Office of Community Health Improvement at (802) 847-2278.

Community Rounds

Community Rounds is a program designed to give Vermont community leaders an inside look at our academic medical center. Community leaders from throughout the state are invited to participate in an intensive two-day program that includes rotations in different clinical areas - including primary care, emergency care, specialty care and surgical care - and a grounding in medical and nursing education and research. For more information about Community Rounds, contact the Office of Government Relations at (802) 847-5103.

Ambassador Program

Through Fletcher Allen's Ambassador Program, community leaders are selected to serve as "ambassadors" for the organization. These leaders attend quarterly meetings to learn about the organization and receive updates on new programs and initiatives. These ambassadors then go back into the community and share their knowledge with others. For more information about this program, contact the Office of Government Relations at (802) 847-5103.

 

MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Fletcher Allen, in partnership with the University of Vermont, is one of 132 academic medical centers in the country, with a joint mission of providing patient care, education, research and service to the community. A wide range of programs related to medical and nursing education and research are open to the public on a regular basis. These include:

Clinical Trials – Members of the public have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of clinical trials at Fletcher Allen and the University of Vermont, which seek to discover new cures and therapies. Studies on heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, knee surgery, asthma, depression, memory loss and reproductive medicine are just a few examples of the offerings. For more information, call the Office of Clinical Trials Research at (802) 656-8990, or visit https://www.med.uvm.edu/octr/.

Studies at the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU) – The Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit conducts research in memory & menopause, Alzheimer's disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), depression, ADHD and other areas. For more information about these studies, contact Sally Ross Nolan at (802) 847-9488, or visit http://www.uvm.edu/~cnru/

MedQuest Health Care Careers Exploration Program – The Champlain Valley Area Health Education Center (CVAHEC) offers two week-long residential health careers exploration programs for high school students on the University of Vermont campus every year. Staffed by University of Vermont medical students, the MedQuest program allows students to explore health careers by shadowing providers at Fletcher Allen, as well as through lab visits and discussions. For more information, call CVAHEC at (802) 527-1474, or visit www.cvahec.org/medquest.htm

Medical Education Project – Families from Vermont Family Network (formerly Parent to Parent of Vermont) who have children with special health needs serve as faculty for University of Vermont medical students, teaching them about family-centered care and meeting with them at a home visit. Vermont Family Network offers programs to nurture, support and advocate on behalf of families whose children have chronic or life-threatening illness or disability, or have been born prematurely. For more information about this program, call Vermont Family Network at 1-800-800-4005 or (802) 876-5313, or visit their website at www.vermontfamilynetwork.org.

Students of Medicine Involved in Local Education – Doctors Ought to Care (SMILE-DOC) - SMILE DOCS is a program run by first- and second-year medical students who visit local elementary schools and teach 3rd through 5th grade students about the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Working in groups of four to six, the students visit their assigned classroom approximately four times per semester for an hour and a half each session. For more information about this program, call the University of Vermont College of Medicine Student Affairs Office at (802) 656-2150.

F.I.R.S.T. (Families Involved in Resident and Student Teaching) Program – Families from Vermont Family Network (formerly Parent to Parent of Vermont) who have children with special health needs serve as faculty for residents (pediatricians in training) at Fletcher Allen and the University of Vermont. These families teach medical students and pediatric residents a new perspective on the challenges, strengths, and needs of families. The students and residents are taught to work as a collaborative partner and advocate for the family while gaining an understanding of the many community health issues that face these children. For more information about this program, call Vermont Family Network at 1-800-800-4005 or (802) 876-5315, or visit their website at: www.vermontfamilynetwork.org

Standardized Patient Program – Members of the community are paid and trained to evaluate medical students' examination and communication skills and "act" as a patient with a specific health history. For more information about this program, call Cate Nicholas, director of the Standardized Patient Program at the University of Vermont College of Medicine at (802) 656-8373.

Schweitzer Fellows Program – Each year, several College of Medicine students are awarded prestigious Schweitzer fellowships. Their activities include sponsoring a health-related lecture and developing and implementing programs designed to improve health care for underserved populations in the community. For more information about this program, call the NH/VT Schweitzer Fellows office at (603) 643-1479 or visit the program website at http://www.schweitzerfellowship.org/features/us/nhvt/

Office of Nursing Workforce, Research, Planning and Development – The Office of Nursing Workforce, Research, Planning and Development was established in December 2001 by a grant from the Vermont Agency of Human Services. The office has many programs to recruit and retain nurses in Vermont. For more information, visit http://www.choosenursingvermont.org. The office can be reached at: Office of Nursing Workforce Research, Planning and Development, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, 216 Rowell Building, Burlington, VT 05405, (802) 656-0023.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC ACTIVITIES

For more information about public activities at Fletcher Allen, contact Fletcher Allen's Office of Marketing and Communications, located on the fourth floor of the UHC Campus, or Community Health Improvement, located at Courthouse Plaza in downtown Burlington.

The offices can be contacted at the following mailing addresses:

Fletcher Allen
Office of Marketing and Communications
UHC Campus, 1 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 847-2886
Fax: (802) 847-5540

Community Health Improvement
Courthouse Plaza
199 Main Street, Suite 150
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 847-2278
Fax: (802) 847-6545

Information about public events also is regularly posted on the Fletcher Allen Web site, www.FletcherAllen.org on the Home Page and or in the Community Health Improvement section of the Fletcher Allen site.