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Vermont Business Magazine There’s no question that telehealth – using telecommunications and information technologies to provide healthcare at a distance – is changing the landscape of health care in America. But perhaps the most positive effects are being felt in rural communities, where the shortage of medical specialists and the long distances between hospitals and clinics present special challenges for patients seeking care. Telehealth contributes to local care, keeping patients in their own community where they can be surrounded by loved ones and local care teams.

In recent years, Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H), New Hampshire’s largest health system, has made a significant investment in its Center for TeleHealth Services. The goal, according to Sarah N. Pletcher, medical director of the Center for Telehealth is to “build new networks of care to deliver excellent and efficient health care where and when patients and providers need us.

Vermont Business Magazine Just So Pediatrics (JSP), a member of the BMH Medical Group, is now offering extended hours in order to accommodate patients who request evening and occasionally, weekend appointments. In addition to its regular hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays, JSP has extended their office hours from 8 AM until 8 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with additional appointments available on some Saturdays.

“Extended hours benefit working parents who cannot come during 8:30am to 5pm hours,” says Cynthia Howes, RN, a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with JSP. “They also increase health care access to school aged children and decrease school absences.” Research from the University of Michigan shows children who have access to extended pediatric primary care appointments have half as many Emergency Department visits as those who do not.

Vermont Business Magazine Air Force officials announced today that the Burlington Air Guard Station located in South Burlington is expected to receive its first F-35A aircraft in Fall 2019, a year earlier than originally planned, according to a statement released by the Vermont National Guard. The advancement of the aircraft delivery to the Vermont Air National Guard will allow the Air Force more time to grow its active-duty maintenance force while capitalizing on the strengths of the Total Force.

"The Air Force is experiencing a shortage of experienced, active-duty fighter aircraft maintainers," said Lieutenant General John B Cooper, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support. "Delivering F-35s to an Air National Guard base before standing up a new active duty unit will allow us to take advantage of Burlington's experienced fighter aircraft maintenance force as we transition from legacy aircraft to the F-35A."

Vermont Business Magazine As part of its $249 million makeover of Burlington’s Church Street mall, called the Burlington Town Center (BTC), mall owner Devonwood Investors, LLC today announced that it has entered into a preliminary agreement with The University of Vermont Medical Center to lease non-clinical office space for UVM Medical Center at the mall site in downtown Burlington. The expected occupancy is 2019. The lease would allow the UVM Medical Center to utilize the soon-to-be redeveloped site of the BTC to place downtown 350-400 administrative jobs currently located at sites used by UVM Medical Center in Burlington and outside of the city as leases expire.

Vermont Business Magazine A press release from the E-911 Board stating that the Department of Public Safety “will not be continuing to participate in the statewide 911 call taking system” is false. No decision has been made. Secretary of Administration Justin Johnson issued the following statement on the inaccurate press release issued this morning. “No decision has been made surrounding the participation of the Department of Public Safety in the statewide 9-1-1 call taking system. The attempt to mislead the media and public is completely outrageous and under-handed.”

Vermont Business Magazine VBSR members came out in strong support for H261 last week. The Ban the Box bill is now under consideration by the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee. The bill eliminates the criminal history question on job applications for most jobs - allowing prospective hires to explain their past convictions and the steps they've taken to rebuild their lives. Employers can still conduct background checks and ask about criminal records during job interviews.

​Heather Wright, an employment attorney with WrightJones PLC. VBSR photos

Vermont Business Magazine According to a national report from an audit-defense firm, Vermont had the highest rate of IRS audits in the US in 2015. TaxAudit.com, a California-based IRS audit defense specialists, today announced the findings from their second annual IRS Audit Report which reveals the states with the highest chance of a tax audit. The study examined 1.5 million US tax returns for the 2014 tax year. The findings reveal Vermont and California taxpayers had a higher chance of an IRS audit than taxpayers in any other states, while Hawaii and New York had the highest chance of an audit of their 2014 state tax return. Taxpayers in Oklahoma were the least likely to be audited by the IRS while taxpayers in Texas were the least likely to be audited by the state.

Rankings are based on the percentage of 2014 TaxAudit.com Audit Defense users that were audited in 2015.

States with the highest likelihood of an IRS audit

by VT Secretary of State Jim Condos Smart, focused and efficient government helps Vermonters, so why does it seem that levels of frustration and distrust are at an all-time high? I believe that listening to your customers, cutting red tape, finding efficiencies, and increasing transparency are all keys to earning that trust. At the Secretary of State’s Office, we serve Vermonters in many ways, including: overseeing the state’s elections, registering its businesses, licensing its professionals, managing its records, providing information, assistance and educational materials related to municipal and open government laws. 

We balance these critical priorities with Vermonters’ ability to afford them – ensuring fee revenue is spent wisely.  Recent news about broken contracting practices, failed Information Technology (IT) projects, and budget deficits are discouraging and don’t inspire confidence.      

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont remains in the lower half of states ranked by bad mortgages, as it has for several years. When the mortgage crisis first hit in 2008 Vermont was at the bottom. The mortgage crisis is still embedded in the states worst hit, but the number and type of foreclosures and non-current loans has diminished significantly, accept for the lowest-priced homes, especially those in a  "negative equity" position. Vermont (21.1 percent) is among several states, including most of New England, that has seen non-current mortgages fall by more than 20 percent over the last year, as the national average is down 18.1 percent. Vermont's foreclosure rate is above the US average, while its delinquent rate is below average. The state's overall non-current rate is 5.5 percent, just under the US average of 5.7 percent.

Vermont Business Magazine After a nearly five-hour police standoff, Ralph “Phil” Grenon was shot and killed by a Burlington police officer. He reportedly lunged at police with two knives. The shooting of a 76-year old man, who many have said had mental health issues, has generated a public outcry. Perhaps it was Mr. Grenon’s age, or perhaps it was his mental state, but opinions about the incident have been diverse and passionate. Some believe police officers acted precipitously, unnecessarily killing a person experiencing a mental health crisis when other means of resolving the standoff could have been deployed. Others feel police acted prudently by using force to protect themselves from a man lunging toward them with knives.

by Joyce Marcel. Vermont Business Magazine Environmental attorney Peter D Van Oot has been close to the center of the struggle around Act 250 for 29 years. Van Oot, 61, is a director of Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, the state’s largest law firm. He works out of the company’s offices in Lebanon, NH. He has argued for many large Act 250 permits and at the same time been on — and chaired — Act 250 commissions. He’s been a member of two municipal planning commissions/zoning boards, served as counsel for developers of large-scale projects and is a board member of state-wide environmental and economic development organizations. In person, Van Oot is tall, good-looking and imposing. Charming should be his middle name. He has long white hair that he combs straight back and a deep, sonorous voice that might lull any Environmental Board into acquiescing to his requests. 

by Maureen Cregan Connolly Nearly 97% of Vermont's businesses are classified as "small" according to the Small Business Association (SBA). Statistics provided by the SBA report that between 2010 and 2013 Vermont had 77,726 small businesses and that, of that number, 60,067 businesses were without employees. These businesses primarily survive through contract work with other business entities. H.867 was written to protect Vermont's cottage business  industries  and  to protect an individual's right to self-contract. The days of a single contractor building a home from foundation to roof are no longer.  Homes are built by teams and individuals with specific skills and knowledge; team development is based upon the elements of design selected by the homeowners.