Claremont
The Greater Sullivan County Public Health Network, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Valley Regional Healthcare, New London Hospital, Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice, Fall Mountain Regional School District, and the Medical Reserve Corps. all contribute to the program.
“This is a fantastic program and Valley Regional is proud to be a part of it,” Peter Wright, President and CEO of Valley Regional Healthcare, said in a news release. “We have a long tradition of partnering with the schools in our community to keep our children healthy so they can maximize their learning opportunities. Good health and a top education go hand-in-hand!”
The school-based clinics offer free flu immunizations to students in the hopes of reducing influenza outbreaks and increasing access to care.
“Flu vaccinations are an extremely important component of community health,” said Jim Culhane, president and CEO at Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice. “Each partner brings such value to the communities, and together, that value is exponentially greater.”
The school-based flu clinics began in 2013 thanks to a grant from the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services to the Greater Sullivan County Public Health Network. The first year the program vaccinated 200 students in nine schools. Over the last five years the program has grown as a result of increased partnerships with Valley Regional Healthcare, New London Hospital, DHMC and area schools. As a result of these partnerships, more than 700 students annually receive vaccinations in upwards of 21 schools across the region.
The clinics are an important part of preventative health, said Bruce King, president and CEO at New London Hospital.
“A flu outbreak can place a tremendous amount of strain on a community and a hospital,” King said. “We view our participation in the school-based flu clinics as a responsibility to the families in our region.”
Randolph
Rose helps adults, teenagers and couples work through a variety of issues, from mood disorders like depression to relationship challenges. A trauma-informed therapist, Rose said she has been “trained in many different modalities that help people heal their pain, whether it is mental, emotional, or physical.”
“For me it’s about making a heartfelt connection and creating a safe space for a person to address whatever is bringing them to therapy,” Rose said in a news release.
Rose is a licensed clinical mental health counselor whose approach is centered on the mind/body connection. She earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Antioch University New England in Keene and a bachelor’s degree from Burlington College. She has completed training programs in several models, including Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Somatic Experiencing.
Rose’s previous experience includes many years as a psychotherapist in private practice as well as part of teams at Spruce Mountain Inn in Plainfield, Vt.; Springhill Retreat in Ashby, Mass.; University of Vermont School of Medicine in Burlington; Rutland Mental Health Services; and Vermont Women’s Health Center in Burlington, where she co-founded the counseling program.
Randolph
Vermonters have a higher risk of skin cancer than the general United States population. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the country and can be detected early through screenings. During the Gifford sessions, surgeons Rafael Montecino and Victoria Edwards will identify any areas that need closer examination or monitoring and suggest follow-up treatment if needed.
“We are pleased to offer free skin screenings to members of our community, as early detection is critical to successfully treating skin cancers,” Montecino said in a news release. “Screenings are recommended for adults at increased risk, such as older individuals, those with fair skin, people who have a history of sunburns, those who are exposed to UV rays, and individuals who have a family or personal history of skin cancer.”
The private screenings will take place at the following dates and times: Thursday, Oct. 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gifford Specialty Care, 44 S. Main St., Randolph; Thursday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gifford Health Center at Berlin, 2418 Airport Road, Barre; Monday Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sharon Health Center, 12 Shippee Lane, Sharon; and Monday Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chelsea Health Center, 356 Route 110, Chelsea. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 802-728-2430.
Windsor
The billing team is responsible for processing patient bills and getting them paid correctly. Team members process billed charges; answer patient questions; handle third-party billing to government and commercial insurance carriers; collect balances due; and help patients make payment arrangements, including matching qualifying patients with financial assistance programs.
The team members have all become Certified Revenue Cycle Representatives through the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
“This certification is crucial now, as healthcare rules become ever more complex,” said Joseph Perras, president, CEO, and chief medical officer at Mt. Ascutney. “This certification required many hours of studying and on behalf of the whole hospital I’m proud to congratulate the team on this achievement.”
The hospital’s chief financial officer, David Sanville, said the members of the billing team are “unsung heroes.”
“Their success allows the hospital to pay our employees, pay our vendors, invest in capital equipment and continue to enjoy the benefits we have,” he said.
Lebanon
As active community members, each person will serve as an ambassador for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center to people in Vermont and New Hampshire, finding ways to increase awareness and fundraising.
“The Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center plays a crucial role in achieving the Cancer Center’s mission,” Steven Leach, MD, cancer center director, said in a news release. “The Friends’ ongoing work with the people in our region — producing events, conveying important information to the community as well as bringing important messages back — creates a strong relationship with the people we serve. I very much look forward to working with these new friends.”
The Lebanon Friends board welcomes the following people: Cheryl Boghosian, of Hanover, an interior designer at Gilberte Interiors; Doreen Cutter, of Hanover, a semi-retired business systems analyst; Jonathan Masland, of Lyme, an entrepreneur; Ingrid Nichols, of Woodstock, president and managing partner of Banwell Architects; Bruce Parsons, of New London, a retired architectural designer; Beth Rattigan, of Woodstock, attorney and director at Downs Rachlin Martin; and Bill Tine, of Norwich, vice president of marketing at King Arthur Flour. Judy Csatari, of Hanover, a long-time Friends board member and semi-retired school teacher, was elected to a two-year term as chair of the Lebanon board.
The Friends South board welcomed Melissa Mannon, of Bedford, N.H., a librarian at the Goffstown High School, and Nicole Mosier, of Amherst, owner of Amherst Wellness Center.
Lebanon
Reed has a special interest and expertise working with adults with psychotic illnesses, and is qualified to treat adults with a wide variety of psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders and other anxiety and panic disorders.
Reed earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Maine and trained as a research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health in the study of families and patients living with schizophrenia.
He received his medical training at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his psychiatric residency in the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He is a member of the Society of Biological Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association.
— Compiled by Kelly Burch