Meeting Central Vermont’s Health Care Future
Rich in the history of providing health care for central Vermont and addressing community needs, the Central Vermont Medical Center is working on a Modernization Project.
Origins
Heaton Hospital opened in Montpelier in 1894 and the Barre City Hospital in 1907. Both facilities served their communities well for many years. Central Vermont Hospital opened in Berlin in August of 1968, a culmination of community planning efforts during the 1950s and the 1960s, to consolidate the smaller hospitals in Barre and Montpelier. The Mayo Hospital in Northfield and the Hardwick Hospital, also closed their doors during and just after this consolidation. The Osteopathic Physicians of Vermont had plans and some funds to build a 30bed osteopathic hospital on the Barre- Montpelier Road. They ultimately scrapped their plans and donated the funds to the Central Vermont Hospital development effort. The only significant expansion project since 1968 occurred in 1979-80 and involved the enlargement of the emergency department and radiology as well as some of the inpatient areas. An attached medical office building was completed and occupied in 1998.
The Process and the Project
Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) today, includes the hospital, Woodridge Nursing Home and a medical staff of 127 physicians, including private practices throughout the region and practices managed by CVMC in Barre, Berlin, Waterbury and Montpelier. CVMC serves 66,000 people in 26 communities. It is licensed for 122 hospital beds and 153 nursing home beds. Over 300 volunteers contribute their time to CVMC.
In addition to its positive effect on the health of the region, CVMC has a substantial economic impact as well. CVMC has an operating budget of $91.5 million, employs more than 1,100 Vermonters, spends $44.5 million on annual payroll, provides and additional $14 million in fringe benefits and provided over $1 million in free care in FY2004.
The desire for change that led to the Modernization Project came from the community. They expressed their needs and opinions through patient satisfaction surveys, market research, focus groups and collaborative assessments working with community institutions like the United Way.
Armed with this information the CVMC Board leads the planning process. Changes already in place include: CVMC organized community physician practices providing additional access to primary care; membership in the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Alliance; a health education and resource center; a renal dialysis initiative in partnership with Fletcher Allen Health Care; midwifery practice; and the current Certificate of Need (CON) for the Modernization Project. Projects in the planning phase include dental access, mental health access, radiologic oncology and initiatives to address obesity related chronic diseases.
The Modernization Project fulfills a critical need at this time in three areas. CVMC is dealing with aging facilities and infrastructure, most of which are 36 years old – heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, medical gases, plumbing.
Key changes in hospital use have evolved since 1968′s inpatient model to today’s emerging outpatient model. CVMC’s focus is to maintain and improve inpatient care while transforming to a “Same Day” services model. The existing infrastructure was based on beds and overnight stays. The new infrastructure will address outpatient needs including the need for expanded post-op/recovery unit space. The project will also address increased pressures on surgical space. More than fifty percent of today’s procedures were not even offered in 1968. Modern procedures feature more and larger surgical equipment.
There have been critical changes in modern medical practices. The Modernization Project focuses a spotlight on changes in birthing standards including a migration to more familycentered birthing environments and practices – labor tubs, midwifery, Doulas – and a move to the LDPR (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Post-Partum) model. The project addresses new needs in pediatric care, increased family space and accommodation of acute child care separate from the medical/surgical unit.
Changing community demographics, an aging population, are also a key influence in the project with expanded lab services and chronic disease management and treatment.
The growth in medical information systems and computerization has established a need to move from paper to digital records management and embrace electronic medical records management. The project will support these goals while adhering to increased privacy regulations (HIPPA) and the increased complexity of third party payer systems.
The Future
The $18.5 million Modernization Project will enhance CVMC’s ability to continue its core mission as a patient-focused community hospital.
Copyright Boutin-McQuiston, Inc. Jul 01, 2005