Current News
by tim
Grace Cottage Hospital in townshend has been named one of New England’s Top 50 Hospitals based on patient satisfaction, according to a report recently published by GoLocalProv. Grace Cottage was rated #14 of all New England hospitals in the ranking, the highest among Vermont hospitals. Hospitals do not apply for this award, but are selected for this prestigious annual list based on a scoring process that incorporates Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) standardized surveys completed by patients; 88 percent of Grace Cottage’s patients who completed the surveys said that, “Doctors always communicate well” and the same percentage said that “Nurses always communicate well.”
“Everyone who works here at Grace Cottage goes beyond patient care,” said Grace Cottage CEO Roger Allbee, “and we are pleased that patients recognize this when they complete their patient satisfaction surveys.”
by Conor
Project Independence of Barre and the Gifford Retirement Community, part of Gifford Health Care in Randolph, will merge at the conclusion of Gifford’s fiscal year on Sept. 30. Boards for the two nonprofit organizations unanimously agreed to the merger in May after studying the relationship for more than a year.
It will be a full asset merger with Project Independence retaining its name, location and fund-raising dollars. Project Independence’s board will become an advisory board to provide local perspective and experience, and employees will become part of Gifford, opening the door to enhanced benefits. Project Independence will benefit from Gifford’s staff, from financial to billing to nursing help, as well as its buying power as a larger organization.
The state’s first adult day center, Project Independence, got its start in Barre in 1975 when a nursing home activity director, Lindsey Wade, recognized an opportunity to do things better and more cost effectively.
by tim
Dartmouth researchers have found that those caring for patients with advanced cancer experienced reduced depression and felt less burdened by caregiving tasks when palliative support services were offered soon after the patient’s diagnosis. They presented their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncologist (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago on June 3, 2014.
by tim
Comcast Business has launched the nation’s first wireless gateway service built specifically for a commercial environment with an integrated modem equipped to produce dual-band Wi-Fi signals. The Business Wireless Gateway allows entrepreneurs to assign one private wireless signal for their back-office needs and a separate public signal (Xfinity WiFi) for customers or visitors, creating a simple and secure solution for businesses of all kinds that want to take advantage of the many benefits of Wi-Fi. This device and Business WiFi service are included with most Comcast Business Internet plans, and Comcast Business supports the device and provides customer service 24/7.
by tim
by John McClaughry Governor Peter Shumlin has announced the latest in a long series of sweet deals for his favored people at everybody else’s expense. The lucky winner is IBM, which has repeatedly been reported as preparing to unload its Essex Junction plant and departing Vermont. This latest deal is a three-year electricity rate freeze. As reported on Vermont Digger, “The proposed three-year rate freeze for IBM is an incentive to keep the company in the state, state officials say. If electricity prices rise in the next three years, Green Mountain Power will cover any costs associated with that rate freeze. GMP and the state say the deal is good for ratepayers.” Presumably the rate frozen will be the rate in effect after a 2.46 percent reduction in rates set to take effect on October 1.
by tim
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Monday released the results from its Nationwide Access Audit, along with facility level patient access data, medical center quality and efficiency data, and mental health provider survey data, for all Veterans health facilities. The VA hospital in White River Jct, Vermont, was above average in wait times and did not require further review. Vermont Seantor Bernie Sanders believes the VA should do better than average for veterans. Full details made public at VA.gov follow Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson’s commitment last week in Phoenix, Arizona and San Antonio, Texas to provide timely access to quality healthcare Veterans have earned and deserved.
by tim
Surrounded by supporters at the locally owned Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex, Governor Peter Shumlin today signed into law legislation phasing in an increase in the state’s minimum wage from the current $8.73 per hour to $10.50 per hour by 2018. Shumlin and other New England Governors appeared with President Obama earlier this year in Connecticut to call for a national increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. However, noting congressional inaction on that proposal, Shumlin said, “States like Vermont realize that working people can’t support their families on the current minimum wage, and we’re moving ahead to do the right thing on our own.”
Vermont is one of at least 26 states and the District of Columbia that either currently have a minimum wage higher than the national minimum, or have approved a higher rate that is scheduled to take effect on a date certain.
by tim
Randy Brock, who ran for governor against Peter Shumlin in 2012, will not run for governor this year. He said, "I believe that this is the right decision for me and my family." The former state senator from Franklin County was the highest profile name being floated as a possible opponent to Governor Shumlin, who will seek a third term in November.
by tim
President Barack Obama signed an executive order today to limit student loan payments to no more than 10 percent of a borrower’s monthly income. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today welcomed the news, saying, “Millions of American families are struggling to repay student loans. Capping payments at no more than 10 percent of income is one way to help,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate education committee. He also endorsed Obama’s proposal to help students make better-informed choices about which student loan repayment options are best for them.
by tim
Merchants Bank was listed in the “Top 200” for the third year in a row on American Banker Magazine’s annual list of best performers. Merchants Bank’s performance put them in the top 4% of the Top 200 among a peer group of 851 community banks across the country with less than $2 billion of assets.
“Merchants Bank is in a great position to serve our customers; large enough to be financially sound and offer sophisticated banking technology, while remaining focused on our local commitment to community,” stated Mike Tuttle, President and CEO of Merchants Bank. “Every employee at Merchants Bank feels great pride in knowing we are one of the finest
banks in America.”
by tim
by Morgan True vtdigger.org Developers of Vermont Health Connect will miss a revised deadline for website functionality that allows users to make changes to their coverage, a state official said Friday. A revised contract with CGI, the tech firm that is building the state’s health care exchange website, set a May 21 deadline for the upgrade, then the date was pushed back to June 8. Now there is no deadline in place for the basic website functionality. Since the website was launched October 1, 2013, users have not been able to adjust their coverage for life events such as a divorce, marriage, birth or job loss. In insurance lingo, this is known as a “change of circumstance.”
by tim
FairPoint Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRP) has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014. "I am pleased with the continuing trends in the business — our Adjusted EBITDA and Unlevered Free Cash Flow continue to be on track although quarterly revenue was somewhat lower than expected," said Paul H. Sunu, Chief Executive Officer. "We saw a renewal of the trend of broadband subscriber growth and continued strength in our Ethernet products in the quarter, which provide momentum for the balance of the year."
Operating Highlights
-- Unlevered Free Cash Flow of $28.1 million
-- Adjusted EBITDA1 of $64.2 million
-- Capital expenditures of $28.1 million
-- Net loss of $32.2 million