Current News

A new labeling initiative launched at the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s (SVMC) Cancer Center is reducing the risk of preventable medication errors. According to Charles Still, the senior systems analyst who oversaw the effort, “Fewer than five percent of US hospitals are using this labeling technology, which highlights very discrete and important elements of a medication label. While clear labeling is important for all medications, it’s of particular importance in cancer treatment, where every administered medication is formulated for the specific needs of each patient.”

The equipment necessary to produce medical labels is highly specialized. It needs to interface with the hospital pharmacy system simply and securely.

Crystal Rock Holdings, Inc (NYSE MKT: CRVP), whose brands include Vermont Pure, announced its financial results for its second quarter and first six months that ended April 30, 2015. These results will be filed on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Total sales for the second quarter ending April 30, 2015 increased 1% to $18.7 million compared to $18.6 million during the same period in fiscal 2014. Gross profit for the same periods declined 7% to $8.1 million from $8.7 million. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 43% for the three month period ending April 30, 2015 compared to 47% the same period in 2014. The Company had a net loss for the quarter of $641,000 compared to net income of $127,000 for the three month periods ending April 30, 2015 and 2014 respectively.

On June 10, 2015 Gifford officially celebrated the opening of the new Menig Nursing Home, an anchor facility for a new senior living campus on 30-acres of meadow land overlooking the Green Mountains in Randolph Center, Vermont. Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, Green Mountain Care Board Chair Al Gobeille, and Division of Licensing and Protection Director Suzanne Leavitt were among the distinguished guests who gathered to cut a red ribbon that stretched across the entrance to the new building. Neighbors and community members, many who supported the project through a long planning and permitting process, joined Gifford staff and Menig residents—who had settled into their new home a week earlier—to share stories and a celebration cake.

Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) has announced a special event to celebrate the career and departure of Dr Beach Conger, who has been affiliated with the Hospital for almost four decades. On Thursday, June 18, 2015 from 4 to 7 PM, friends, family, patients and colleagues are invited to gather at the Sumner Mansion Inn in Hartland, Vermont, to pay tribute to the work and life of Dr Conger, an accomplished physician, author and educator.

“Beach is a role model, a mentor, and a Mt. Ascutney Hospital institution,” says Hospital CEO Kevin W. Donovan, “and he is all of that because first and foremost he is an extraordinary doctor. He has treated thousands of patients here with his unique combination of intelligence, sensitivity, skill and unpredictable wit.”

Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system (D-H) has appointed Dr Mark A Creager, Professor of Medicine at Harvard and a nationally known expert in the field of cardiovascular diseases, as Center Director of the D-H Heart and Vascular Center. Creager comes to Dartmouth-Hitchcock and the Geisel School of Medicine after a distinguished career at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Currently, he is president-elect of the American Heart Association and will serve as president from 2015-16.

SVMC ExpressCare, a convenient walk-in clinic, is now open 8 am – 6 pm seven days a week. The scheduled started June 14. The new hours provide the last patient of the day the convenience of filling a prescription—if they have one—before pharmacies close. The office is located in Suite 111 of the Medical Office Building at 140 Hospital Drive in Bennington.

“SVMC ExpressCare is here to provide same day health services for people of all ages. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and support staff is dedicated to providing the care you need at the time you need it,” said Robert Tarnas, MD, the clinic’s medical director.

The clinic will provide care to patients of all ages with minor illnesses and injuries, including coughs, colds, and flu; eye and ear infections; pulled and strained muscles; cuts and scrapes; bites, stings, and rashes; stomach aches; and other conditions.

As of July 1, 2015, Howard Center will implement an expanded tobacco-free policy in keeping with its mission to support client health and well-being and in compliance with new State mandates for designated agencies. The organization will partner with 802Quits to transition all locations to tobacco-free facilities and to provide resources for any individual who expresses the desire to quit using tobacco. The policy will apply to all staff and clients at all locations, with the exception of clients living in Howard Center residential homes.

People’s United Bank recently made a $5,000 donation to the University of Vermont Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center’s campaign to build an outdoor terrace for the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit. Studies show access to the outdoors and fresh air for these patients helps improve mood and significantly aids in recovery.

Shown: Heidi Hook, Customer Service Manager for People’s United Bank in Barre (left), Judy Tartaglia, UVM Health Network–CVMC president and CEO (center) and Skip Poczobut, senior vice president, commercial lending, People’s United Bank (right).

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Monday announced a $100,000 grant to Vermont State Colleges to support small business innovation and economic development. The Vermont Small Business Development Center, a statewide program of Vermont Technical College, will use the grant to work with small Vermont firms in strategizing their approaches to innovation and research.

In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: “Technology-based business are an emerging sector of Vermont’s economy. Pairing Vermont Technical College with small businesses is a strategy that makes sense and encourages innovation across our region.”

The grant will support a Technology Commercialization advisor to work with small businesses, college faculty and students to develop new products and encourage technology innovation across the state.

Vermont Business Magazine Dealer.com, the automotive Web site developer based in Burlington, Vermont, has another new parent company. Cox Automotive, Inc, a leading provider of digital marketing, wholesale and e-commerce solutions across the automotive industry, today announced that will acquire Dealertrack in an all-cash transaction valued at $4 billion, or $63.25 per share. Dealertrack itself acquired the ownership of Dealer.com from investors in March 2014 for about $1 billion.

The acquisition is subject to a minimum tender of at least a majority of the outstanding Dealertrack common shares and customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2015.The Dealertrack Board of Directors has unanimously approved the acquisition and recommends that Dealertrack stockholders tender their shares in favor of the transaction.

SunCommon, a Vermont Benefit Corporation, has chosen to divest its 401k portfolio from fossil fuels. The divestment announcement was followed by a staff-wide educational presentation by Maeve McBride of 350VT and Dan Quinlan of Divestor.org. In keeping with SunCommon’s legal charter that directs the company to attend to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit, the 69 employees were offered mutual fund options that support clean energy.

“At SunCommon, we believe everyone has the right to a healthy environment and safer world – and clean energy is the place to start. Divesting from fossil fuels was not just a moral play, it was a financial play. We’ve moved away from fossil fuels and in turn invested in our clean energy future,” said Duane Peterson, president and co-founder of SunCommon.

Vermont Business Magazine TDI New England announced today that it has completed an agreement with the Conservation Law Foundation that includes enhanced environmental and public benefits that the project will provide to Vermont as part of the development of the New England Clean Power Link. The NECPL is a proposed underwater and underground electric transmission line. The agreement was filed on June 12, 2015, with the Vermont Public Service Board as part of the project permitting and, in addition to the enhanced benefits, confirms that the parties agree that the PSB has sufficient information to approve the project and issue a Certificate of Public Good.