The University of Vermont Health Network

25/07/2025

We appreciate Senator Peter Welch leadership in protecting rural health care through the 340B PATIENTS Act. For over 30 years, the 340B prescription drug discount program has been a vital lifeline for safety-net health care organizations, helping ensure access to affordable care in underserved communities. This legislation strengthens that lifeline at a time when it's needed most.

Submitted by tim on Wed, 07/23/2025 - 10:14 Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) this week introduced the bicameral 340B Pharmaceutical Access To Invest in Essential, Needed Treatments & Support (PATIENTS) Act, legislation that would protect the 3...

24/07/2025

Teams from UVM Medical Center have been travelling around Vermont helping other hospitals prepare for worst-case scenario childbirths. The NeoSim program is made possible through VCHIP and the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont.

24/07/2025

In just four years, Vermont Green FC has grown into more than a soccer club—they’ve become a movement. A force for justice, for health, and for community.

We’re proud to stand with them in their pursuit of a better Vermont. We’re also proud to celebrate our very own Dr. J.P. Begly, orthopedic surgeon at CVMC, who’s been the team’s physician for the past three seasons. A lifelong athlete and former orthopedic fellow with the U.S. Ski Team, Dr. Begly brings elite-level insight and care to the pitch.

23/07/2025

🧪 80% of medical decisions start here. 🧪
You may rarely see them or think about them during care, but behind every diagnosis, treatment plan and recovery is a team of lab professionals making sense of the science.

At Porter Medical Center—and across the UVM Health Network—laboratory teams like Evelyn and Shay’s analyze results that guide critical decisions.

21/07/2025

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.

19/07/2025

“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.

09/07/2025

While it will take some time to analyze and fully understand the impact of the new federal law on our patients, families and communities, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which includes nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts – the largest in the program’s history – raises serious concerns for all the patients and communities we serve. We have advocated against these cuts every step along the way.

So far, an estimated 45,000 Vermonters and 1.5 million New Yorkers will lose their health care coverage over the course of the 10-year implementation of this law. Clearly, this will negatively impact their health and put pressure on an already struggling health care delivery system. This will jeopardize access to care for everybody, regardless of insurance coverage.

We remain steadfast in our mission, providing care to everyone who comes through our doors regardless of insurance coverage.

05/07/2025

Weighing their options after a terminal diagnosis, Lincoln and Vicky initially didn’t consider hospice. It wasn’t something they’d discussed earlier in Lincoln’s journey, or something many health care providers had called to their attention.

“What brought him to hospice was the cancer and the non-curative nature of the cancer,” Vicky recalls.

The University of Vermont Cancer Center

Experts say families miss out on months of practical benefits like pain relief and emotional support — especially in Vermont and New York. 

01/07/2025

In 2023, the UVM Health Network released a video that brought national attention to the growing issue of violence in emergency departments. In response, hospitals have implemented new safety measures, including the installation of metal detector and the adoption everyone entering the hospital.

At one Vermont hospital, the metal detector identified thousands of prohibited and potentially dangerous items in its first year of operation, including:
•3,940 knives
•191 tasers
•27 guns
•223 canisters of mace
•759 flammable items
•458 pieces of paraphernalia or contraband
These items reached the hospital’s emergency department doors despite clear signage in the parking lot informing visitors that such items are not allowed. When a prohibited item is detected, individuals are given the option to return it to their vehicle or store it in a secure locker.

Read more about steps being taken across UVM Health Network to make our hospitals safer: https://www.uvmhealth.org/news/cvmc/metal-detector-anti-violence-initiatives-improve-cvmc-staff-and-patient-safety

28/06/2025

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in three adults in the United States report not getting enough daily rest or sleep. This widespread issue affects people of all ages, from children to older adults, and the consequences are far-reaching.

Avoid these common pitfalls for a more restful and rejuvenating sleep.

27/06/2025

Gardens of Hope: Rachel Boyers
I've always been captivated by how we, as humans, interact with the spaces around us. Perhaps it was this fascination that led me to ballet as a young girl—the graceful movement of bodies across the dance floor. I danced professionally for a time, but eventually, I found myself increasingly drawn to the outdoors. This shift led me to pursue a career in landscape architecture, while raising a family with my husband.

My path took a sudden turn when our third child, Ethan, was born with a severe seizure disorder. As we sought treatment to help him live more comfortably, we noticed something remarkable—being outside seemed to calm him. His seizures became less frequent as he watched the silhouettes of his tiny fingers against the sky. Inspired by this, we, along with the support of our friends, decided to create a sensory therapy garden in our backyard—an oasis filled with plants of varying colors, textures and fragrances, designed to soothe both his body and mind.

Sadly, Ethan never got to experience the garden we built for him—he passed away when he was just 2½ years old. Though his time with us was short, I am forever grateful for the impact he had on my life. In the most profound and heartbreaking way, he guided me toward my purpose.

This led me to a new role with the Vermont Family Network, an organization that had supported us with my son’s special health need challenges. It was here that I found the clarity to pursue certification in horticultural therapy, enabling me to share the healing power of nature with others.

I dreamt of bringing this knowledge to the UVM Medical Center, a place that had been a beacon of support during our family’s darkest moments. Today, I am fortunate to work in the hospital’s gardens, where I help connect people to nature in spaces where they can learn, relax and find moments of "awe."

Through nurturing plants, harvesting and cooking fresh food, I hope to remind us all that the health of the planet is intricately linked to our own—and through this bond, we can find the power to heal.

Rachel Boyers is the garden educator in culinary medicine at UVM Medical Center. She has been with us since 2023.