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FY2011 Strategic Initiatives

 

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Strategic Initiatives

Patient-Focused Clinical and Operational Excellence

Information and Technology Systems Optimization

Optimize the use of PRISM: By December of 2010, Fletcher Allen completed the installation of PRISM, our electronic health record (EHR), in all of our ambulatory clinics.  This puts us among the top 3 percent of hospitals nationwide with a fully integrated electronic health record. Now we are working to meet “Meaningful Use” criteria to get dollars under the federal Affordable Care Act.  Meaningful use, in a health information technology (HIT) context, is a critical level for the use of EHRs and related technology within a health care organization. We are also working to design and implement a structure that will engage end-users, define enhancements and assign resources.

Data Management

We are working to implement an organization-wide business intelligence system, which will enable us to establish one centralized source for data.

Coordination of Care

Patient-Centered Medical Home: We will expand implementation of the patient-centered medical home to all Fletcher Allen primary care practices. A patient-centered medical home is a health care setting that improves the quality of life for people with, or at risk for, chronic conditions, by fostering a team approach to care. 

Service and Core Business Process Review: We are working to ensure that our health care services are meeting community needs while performing as well as possible financially.  We will continue to look at all of our services to determine where we can make improvements – through redesigning processes or by partnering with other health providers - so that our patients and families have the best possible care experience.

Growth and Reach

Care Delivery System Design

Work is underway to define the attributes of a regional care delivery system and align our activities and our partners’ activities to extend our service and grow the core business.

Physician Enterprise Development

We continue to develop the University of Vermont Medical Group through development of a governance model, a physician compensation plan and self-sustaining and efficient operations with a focus on quality and accountability.

Master Facility Plan

Improving the environment of care for our inpatients is a priority.  To that end, we are working to update a Master Facility Plan to address facility needs for the next five years and align cash flow needs with our capital plan.

Central Vermont Affiliation

Work is underway to complete our affiliation agreement with Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, Vermont.

Innovation and Education

Build a Collaborative Structure with UVM to Support the Academic Mission

In FY 2011, we will have structured meetings with UVM and Fletcher Allen senior leadership.  These meetings are a part of our ongoing efforts to continue to look for opportunities for partnership between our two organizations that will enhance our affiliation.

Learning and Growth

Leadership Development and Succession Planning

We are fortunate that we continue to attract high-quality employees, and we need to ensure that we have a leadership succession and planning process in place. As a first step, we will be assessing our employees’ leadership potential.

Physician Satisfaction

We are in the process of designing and implementing a committee structure that supports and prioritizes physician satisfaction issues.   

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Openness and Communications Initiatives

Employee Communication 

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 implemented as we continue to work toward enhancing employee satisfaction and engagement. In the fall of 2011 we will participate in an updated Employee Engagement Survey.

"Good Catch Award" Encourages Employee Participation in Proactive Patient Safety Initiative

Fletcher Allen maintains a robust patient safety program, with a focus on proactive patient safety.  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 several years ago.

This program encourages, supports and rewards the identification and reporting of potential or “near miss” events, which allows us to investigate the events and work to avoid similar issues in the future.  Each month, the Patient Safety department reviews the event reports submitted and chooses one to receive the award for that month.  Award-winning reports must meet 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. 
 
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) from the bedside phone 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," which encourages patients to participate in their health care and helps improve the safety of their care. The campaign urges patients to take an active 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 M. Jeffords Institute for Quality and Operational Effectiveness, (802) 847-2468.

Public Reporting of Quality Data

In 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 we perform 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 the Vermont Children's Hospital and nursing. Each section includes data on clinical information, length of stay, patient satisfaction, and numbers of cases seen (volume). 

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, 2009 and 2010, as well as the quarterly results for FY 2003 through the first quarter of FY 2010, are published on the Fletcher Allen website. 

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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. This process was based on a vision articulated by Melinda L. Estes, M.D., former 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 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 and 2010, 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 Department of Mental Health, members of the public, health care providers, consumers 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. The group inventoried Fletcher Allen’s current community benefit programming and using secondary and informal data collection, developed the community benefit initiative areas to focus on over the next three years.  These are: Promoting Healthy Behaviors and Preventing Disease, Chronic Conditions, Health Access, Maternal and Child Health and Mental Health and Substance Abuse.  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 the Vermont Children's Hospital; to provide input from the community so the Vermont Children's Hospital meets the needs of those it serves; to review the progress of ongoing clinical, educational, research and financial developments designed to improve care of children in the community; and to be ambassadors on an ongoing basis for the work of the 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

The Elder Care Council is beginning its 8th year of service to Elder Care Services at Fletcher Allen. Today’s council includes the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, directors of community providers including the Area Agency on Aging, Home Health, nursing home, PACE, and Community Health Improvement. The council also has representation from researchers at the University of Vermont, upper level management of the UVM Medical Group, and two community advocates.  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, teletrauma and radiology services. In addition, Fletcher Allen specialists work with local community hospitals and physicians to help them 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 those regions.
  • Participating in the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care. VPQHC is a private, nonprofit 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 in 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 discussion. 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. 
  • 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 the Vermont Medical Society (VMS), 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

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. With the exception of January, July, September and November, the Board meets monthly.

Volunteering

Volunteer Opportunities

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer at Fletcher Allen through our Volunteer Services Department. More than 800 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, such as:

  • 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 the 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 “Doors to Healing” event, to benefit Cardiology Services at Fletcher Allen.  The Auxiliary also held a “Little Black Dress” event to benefit Fletcher Allen’s Breast Care Center in 2010. The Auxiliary 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 over the course of two semesters each year. The series provides information on the latest science and research in the field of medicine, and is presented in an easy-to-understand format. It is extremely popular, regularly drawing 100 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, Yoga, Organic Gardening, Senior Strength, cooking instruction and many more. This series is held 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 the Vermont Children's Hospital, also attends many public events to meet and greet children and parents. For more information about the 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 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 WPTZ Channel 5 and on WOKO 98.9 FM, and is published in weekly newspapers throughout Chittenden County and Plattsburgh, NY. The show airs on Channel 5 during their 5 p.m. Monday broadcasts, and between 5:15-5:35 a.m. and 6:15-6:35 a.m. Tuesdays. 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.

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 three times a year
  • 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 or visit http://www.fletcherallen.org/community_resources/resource_center/

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

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Community Involvement

Community Activities

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 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 nonprofits, businesses, educational institutions and public agencies to improve the health of the community. One of these partnerships is with the Howard Center’s Street Outreach Program – which places social workers in the downtown Burlington area to assist those with mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and unmet social service needs.  The program has been tremendously successful and has now been replicated in Portland, Maine.  For more information about Fletcher Allen’s partnerships, go to http://www.fletcherallen.org/community_resources/chi/ or call 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 - as well as 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 134 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 biomedical 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 summer. 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 and Vermont Parent Information Center) who have children with special health needs serve as faculty for University of Vermont medical students, teaching them about family-centered care during a home visit. Vermont Family Network Family Support faculty co-facilitates morning seminars on family-centered care with a focus on values and culture. Vermont Family Network promotes better health, education and well being for all children and families, with a focus on children and young adults with special needs. 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 1 ½ hours 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, contact Cate Nicholas, director of Clinical Skills Education at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, at cate.nicholas@uvm.edu.

Schweitzer Fellows Program

Each year, several College of Medicine students are awarded prestigious Schweitzer fellowships. Their activities include sponsoring a health-related lecture or event 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/

AHEC Nursing Workforce, Research, Planning and Development 

Established in December 2001 by a grant from the Vermont Agency of Human Services, the formerly named Office of Nursing Workforce, Research, Planning and Development officially joined the University of Vermont Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program on July 1, 2010. The office conducts workforce surveys and offers a number of programs to recruit and retain nurses in Vermont. For more information, visit http://www.choosenursingvermont.org or contact AHEC Nursing Workforce Research, Planning and Development at (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 website, www.FletcherAllen.org on the Home Page and or in the Community Health Improvement section of the Fletcher Allen site.