The University of Vermont Health Network - CVPH

08/02/2025

For many, the term “palliative care” brings to mind end-of-life decisions. But its scope is actually much broader.

Research shows this specialized support that prioritizes quality of life can actually help patients live better.

07/31/2025

Learn how to cook easy and nutritious meals the whole family will love at our upcoming FREE Cook With a Doc session.

📆 Saturday, August 9, 9:30-10:30 am
📍 MHAB Dining Hall - 14 Dormitory Drive.
🍲 Live cooking demonstrations, taste testing and recipes

Studies show that knowing how to cook can help everyone eat healthier, and teaching children to cook has long lasting positive effects.

To sign up: https://bit.ly/3FvOgmF
For questions, send an email to: cvphcookwithadoc@gmail.com

07/30/2025

Medicare and Medicaid turn 60 today!
Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, these landmark programs continue to transform access to care.

✔️ Medicaid supports 1 in 4 in our region
✔️ Covers 40% of U.S. births
✔️ Supports 60% of U.S. nursing home residents

But proposed cuts threaten coverage for tens of thousands of our neighbors.
As a nonprofit academic health system, we never turn patients away based on their ability to pay — but these cuts would place even greater strain on an already stressed system.

07/30/2025

Your generous donations to The Foundation of CVPH make a tremendous difference for our patients, their families, the community and our teams. Watch the video to see how your gifts are helping our patients in the Emergency Department get treatment for vision-threatening problems.

07/26/2025

They’re loaded with antioxidants, help fight inflammation and are a great source of fiber, vitamins and nutrients. In addition to being nutritious, berries require little to no prep and appeal to kids and adults alike. All those reasons make berries a great “pick” for an easy, crowd-pleasing snack or addition to a meal.

You can make the most of this sweet season by getting outside and picking your own.

07/25/2025

❤️ Take some steps to a healthier heart with us!

You're invited to join Ismat Huq, MD for our next Walk With a Doc on Saturday, August 2 from 9-10 am at the main entrance of the hospital. Dr. Huq will talk about preventing heart disease and then spend the rest of the hour leading everyone on a healthy walk and fun conversation.

Research has shown that you can gain two hours of life back for each hour of regular exercise. Walking is low impact and easier on the joints than running. It is safe – with a doctor’s okay – for people with orthopedic ailments, heart conditions, and those who are more than 20% overweight.

Walk With a Doc is a FREE walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. It’s a great way to get out, get active, and enjoy all the benefits that come from walking at your own pace and distance. We hope to see you there!

07/25/2025

🩸 100 platelet donations and counting!

🎉 Congratulations to Mark Donahue, who recently hit the milestone at our Adirondack Blood Center.

He's been giving blood for nearly 50 years but started donating platelets in March 2013 when he learned about how that could benefit others in the community. Donahue says it became even more important for him to keep up with his platelet donations when his wife was diagnosed with cancer several years ago.

"She needed infusions, and it was a real eye-opener for me, seeing all of the people that relied on platelet donations as part of their treatments," Donahue explains. "Not that I really needed more motivation, but that certainly keeps me interested, even now."

The 73-year-old encourages others to consider giving blood, especially platelets. While it does take some time, he says it's more than worth it.

"All it really is, is time. We all waste a lot of time, so why not come down here and be productive with your time? It's always pleasant in here, and you're impacting lives right here where we live," Donahue adds.

The blood we collect - at the Blood Donor Center and at blood drives throughout the region - provides more than 95% of the blood used at CVPH and is used to supply other hospitals in Elizabethtown, Ticonderoga, Malone and Saranac Lake.

07/23/2025

***CORRECTION*** The Big Latch On takes place on Saturday, August 9.

Take part in a worldwide event promoting breastfeeding as a healthy start for babies! The Big Latch On is set to take place in our boardroom here at the hospital on Saturday, August 9 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Registration starts at 9:30, with latch time starting promptly at 10:30 am. The latch will be held on the front lawn, weather permitting. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket.

"The event is so important, because women and families from our community can see that they’re not alone and that there is a lot of support out there to lean on. Having support within the community and family support is crucial for success,” says Jocelyn Fittin, BSN, RN, IBCLC, one of our lactation consultants.

In addition to the latch on moment, mothers, babies and their loved ones can also enjoy:

📷 Getting their picture taken courtesy of Nature’s Breeze Photography
👶 Prizes for the youngest and oldest nursling
🚪 Door prize
💧 Refreshments
ℹ️ Local agencies and vendors on site with information and to answer questions

Each year, breastfeeding women and their loved ones across the globe come together to nurse their children for one full minute at an established time. The event originated in New Zealand and was started by the Women's Health Action in 2005 as part of World Breastfeeding Week. We hope to see you there on August 9!

07/23/2025

Your generous donations to The Foundation of CVPH make a tremendous difference for our patients, their families, the community and our teams. Watch the video to see how your gifts are helping save lives in our Emergency Department.

07/22/2025

A healthier you, and up to $2,500 cash, could be just 25 days away.

The New York State Quitline is launching a Quit & Win Contest during the month of August.

Will you accept the challenge of going 25 days without smoking or va**ng? Check out the information below and register for your chance to win!

07/21/2025

Hive Mind: Erin Duval
I spend a lot of time with bees, and they’ve taught me a lot about life.

When my son was young, he suffered from terrible seasonal allergies. A friend in my Crown Point community suggested he eat a teaspoon of raw, local honey each day – the idea being that by eating small amounts of the local mix of nectar, he’d gradually build up his body’s defenses to the pollen causing his allergies. I decided to take it a step further and invest in a future hobby for him: beekeeping.

Over time, his interest in beekeeping faded, but I was hooked. What started with two bee boxes on my property has grown to 10 hives over the past eight years. It’s a lot of work – often dictated by the weather and how the nectar flows. Some years my work is rewarded with tons of honey. Other years are lean, and I leave what there is for the bees – they’ve worked for it, they should have it for the cold, harsh winter.

It's relaxing to spend time among my bees. It's settling to listen to them, to watch as they return to their hive and do their little waggle dance, their way of giving directions to other bees about where they can find the nectar needed to sustain their colony.

I don’t understand everything about bees, but I think there is a lot they can teach us. Hives are a community: the bees must work together to survive and thrive. Each bee has its own role vital to the functioning of the hive, whether it be a nursing bee, a worker bee or the mighty queen. They are self-sufficient little creatures and take immaculate care of their home, which is practically sterile. If humans could learn to work this well together, we’d all be in a better place.

I love my community, and I see glimpses of that bee-like cooperation in my job at the Westport Health Center. I know most of the people who come in and out each day, and I strive to bring some brightness to their day and help them feel a little more comfortable. The way I see it, we’re all here to work together —and like bees, just try to make our community as healthy and strong as it can be.

Erin Duval is a clinic clerk at Westport Health Center, part of Elizabethtown Community Hospital. She has been with us since 2020.

07/19/2025

“Sometimes with a traditional in-person appointment, you spend more time in the car than with your doctor,” says Natasha Withers, DO, a family physician at University of Vermont Health Network – Porter Medical Center. “From the patient’s perspective, telehealth can be a total win.”

Over 40% of visits are now remote – know when you can save a trip to the doctor.