Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Mach7 Technologies, Inc has signed a contract with Radiology Associates, PA, (RAPA) of Little Rock, AR. RAPA has served the Arkansas community for nearly 100 years, making it one of the oldest continuously operating medical practices in the US. Supporting 19 hospitals and more than 50 clinics throughout south, central and northwest Arkansas, RAPA performs over 800,000 exams a year. Looking to expand their services, RAPA wanted a solution that could scale to enable growth, fit into their existing infrastructure and provide a consistent radiologist experience.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Thursday helped steer through a funding bill that rejects efforts by the Trump Administration to eliminate housing, transportation and infrastructure programs vital to communities across Vermont. The Committee Thursday approved the fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which maintains level funding for the Essential Air Service, Home Investment Partnerships, NeighborWorks and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) programs – all programs the Trump Administration’s “unbalanced and misguided” budget, according to Leahy, would have eliminated.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Foundation, in partnership with the UVM Medical Center Foundation, secured a record $135,692,313 in total new commitments pledged during the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, 2017. This achievement marks the fourth year in a row that the UVM Foundation has set a new institutional record for total commitments to support the University of Vermont and the UVM Medical Center.

Commitments include new gifts, pledges, bequests and gifts-in-kind documented during the fiscal year. The prior record at UVM for commitments was $76,758,513 (established in fiscal year 2016), representing an increase this year of almost 77 percent.

Cash receipts – new one-time gifts, payments on pledges and realized estate gifts – in fiscal year 2017 totaled $46,917,902, the second-highest amount during the Move Mountains capital campaign.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott has requested federal disaster funds to assist communities in up to seven Vermont counties in paying for repairs to public infrastructure damaged in severe storms on June 29 through July 1. Communities in Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Orange, Rutland, Washington, and Windsor counties sustained damages that meet or exceed minimum thresholds to qualify for a Public Assistance disaster declaration.

“I commend state and town road crews for their hard work on repairs to ensure safe passage for Vermonters and visitors,” said Gov. Scott.“The bill for that work will be significant and, in many cases, would be detrimental to annual public works budgets.This storm has clearly placed a financial burden on towns and a federal disaster declaration is warranted.”

Vermont Business Magazine The initial budget submissions by Vermont’s 14 non-profit hospitals continue the trend toward aligning health spending more closely with general economic growth, according to data made public today by the Green Mountain Care Board. This fiscal year, FY18, the submissions of an aggregate Net Patient Revenue (NPR) of 3.6% (just over the 3.4% target set bythe Board; the difference equates to $4.7 million or .19% of a $2.5 billion
hospital health care system in Vermont) indicate historically low rates of growth, a continued downward trend, and are in line with the GMCB's hospital budget instructions for FY18. The proposed weighted average of 2.4% is the second lowest submitted growth rate in 17 years, and follows last year’s historic 2.2% submitted rate.

Vermont Business Magazine The Champlain Housing Trust, UVM Medical Center, community leaders and other partners came together Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the Bel Aire Apartments in Burlington’s South End. The former motel has been converted to eight apartments that will become home to 12-15 people. The new apartments, owned by the Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), will house people who have experienced chronic homelessness or who are living in unsafe conditions that would inhibit their ability to recover from a medical condition. Case management and social work from the Community Health Centers of Burlington will provide services to residents. This is the latest step in a coordinated campaign to end homelessness in Chittenden County, one that has contributed to a nearly 50% reduction in the past three years, according the annual Point in Time count.

Vermont Business Magazine At the annual 2017 “What’s Right in Healthcare Conference,” the Studer Group recognized Rutland Regional Medical Center President and CEO, Tom Huebner, by inducting him into the 2017 Fire Starter Hall of Fame. Huebner, along with five peers representing healthcare systems from throughout the US and Canada, met the highest standards of excellence set forth by the organization. This prestigious recognition places Tom Huebner among the best of the best in healthcare leadership.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center last Friday began sending letters to patients affected by recent incidents in which email accounts of two employees were accessed by third parties after the employees accidentally opened a “phishing” message that mimicked an official company communication. In each instance, the UVM Medical Center immediately shut down the employee account and began an investigation.

The incidents, which occurred on May 22nd and June 13^th, did not involve the electronic medical record system, or systems that contain social security numbers and other information that can be used to identify people.

Vermont Business Magazine The fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Senate Appropriations bill provides a total of $60.058 billion in discretionary budget authority – $2.41 billion more than in fiscal year 2017 and $12.130 billion more than the President’s budget request. Additional resources are provided to prevent and end homelessness among veterans and youth, as well as to maintain existing rental housing assistance for nearly 5 million households nationwide. The bill also directs investments to improve the safety and efficiency of our transportation networks, which serve as the backbone of our economy, and meets the everyday needs of America’s businesses, commuters, and families.

Senator Jack Reed(D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, said:

Vermont Business Magazine The fiscal year 2018 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill provides $3.171 billion in discretionary budget authority, excluding items pertaining solely to the House, which total an additional $1.319 billion. Total funding accommodated in the bill is $4.490 billion, which is $50 million more than the fiscal 2017 enacted level and $192 million less than budget request.

The bill provides critical increases for the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, the United States Capitol Police, the Architect of the Capitol, and cybersecurity initiatives for Senate networks.

Senator Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, said:

Vermont Business Magazine The fiscal year 2018 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill provides a total of $53.4 billion in discretionary funding, $3.2 billion less than fiscal year 2017 and $4.4 billion more than the President’s request. The CJS bill invests in a wide range of critical programs that affect the lives of all Americans.

Lake Champlain CommitteeThe information below represents the results from the latest reporting on the cyanobacteria monitoring program through late afternoon of Friday July 21, 2017. Reports will continue to come in so check thedata trackerfor the most up to date conditions.