Gifford Health Care President and CEO, Dan Bennett has been named recipient of the 2021 American Association of Nurse Practitioners® Vermont State Award for Nurse Practitioner Advocate Excellence. This prestigious award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of NPs.
“It’s a great honor to receive this award,” Bennett said. “The contributions of our Nurse Practitioner colleagues allow us to achieve our goals of providing the highest quality care for our patients in every setting. I share this award with them.”
The State Award for NP Advocate Excellence, founded in 1993, recognizes an individual in each state who has made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of NPs. The State Award for Nurse Practitioner Excellence, founded in 1991, recognizes an individual nurse practitioner (NP) in each state who demonstrates excellence in clinical practice.
A Brandon, Vermont native, Bennett became President and CEO of Gifford Health Care in fall of 2016. He has more than 20 years of leadership experience in small community healthcare organizations. Bennett continues to lead the growth and improvements at Gifford and is helping navigate the doctors, nurses, staff and patients through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reminder during COVID-19: All Gifford clinics are open. We encourage patients to schedule and keep their medical appointments. It is vital that we continue to provide care and treat members of our community so that medical conditions do not escalate. If a patient does not have a mask upon arrival for an appointment, Gifford will provide one. For more information about COVID-19 and answers to frequently asked questions, visit giffordhealthcare.org/coronavirus-covid-19, cdc.gov or healthvermont.gov.
Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph and Rochester, and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; a day care; an adult day program; 49-unit independent living facility, and 30-bed Menig Nursing Home which was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best 39 nursing homes in the country in 2012.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the largest national professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties, represents the interests of more than 325,000 licensed NPs practicing in the U. S. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other health care consumers. To locate a nurse practitioner, go to npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org.