Flashback: Our Top 10 Feel-Good Stories of 2021
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Flashback: Our Top 10 Feel-Good Stories of 2021

What a year we have had. While it has been admittedly difficult at times, we have so much to celebrate. Here are our top 10 feel-good stories of the past year.

10. Asking for Patient Views
More than ever, we have been reaching out to patients for their feedback. We asked about what would make
colon cancer screening easier, what you would want to do with the Southern Vermont College property, and what health needs you see in the community. We also set up a new Patient and Family Advisory Council, which continues to seek members. 

9. Offering Health Learning Opportunities
We didn’t let the pandemic and precautions about meeting in person keep us from expanding educational opportunities for patients. We moved our new-parent classes online and
added a few. We also offered a cancer survivors’ cooking party, a women’s health series, a colon cancer awareness talk, and classes about joint replacements and hand pain. 

8. Widening Availability of Vaccines
All year we watched how vaccines became more and more available. While initially available only to healthcare workers and the oldest adults, vaccine availability soon widened to younger adults. The more people got vaccinated the clearer the safety and efficacy of the vaccines became. Now, everyone over the age of 5 can be protected, and that is a tremendous relief. 

7. Faster Test Results
We are so proud of the steps we took early in the pandemic to get advanced testing equipment on site in the SVMC lab. That makes turn-around times for our tests faster than those in many other parts of the state and the country. Our information systems team also developed
groundbreaking results-delivery applications, so patients could get their results quickly, easily, and securely.

6. Our Heroic Staff
Our staff is always inspiring. The way they have cared for COVID patients and others, with unwavering dedication and incredible skill, over this past year is truly incredible. This year, we are also celebrating the stories of two amazing staff members for the difference they were able to make while off duty.
Patricia Johnson helped more BIPOC Vermonters get vaccinated, while Patrick Deedy participated in a life-saving wilderness rescue.

5. Advances at SVMC Orthopedics
In the fall of 2020, SVMC Orthopedics launched
the region’s only same-day total joint replacement surgery program for hips and knees. In 2021, dozens of patients used the program to begin their recovery immediately and at home. And in 2021, the practice's hand specialist, David R. Veltre, MD, M.Eng., began offering some hand procedures quickly and conveniently at the SVMC Orthopedics practice in Bennington, rather than in the hospital's operating room. Advanced care is easier than ever. 

4. The Former Southern Vermont College Campus and The Grateful Bennington Fund
We were absolutely astounded with
the response we received when community members led an effort to offset the expenses of SVHC’s purchase of the former Southern Vermont College campus. The campus has gone on to be integral in the health system’s COVID-19 response.

3. Medical Matters Weekly
In February 2021, we launched an ambitious project to present a
weekly video podcast. Throughout the last year, we have met so many interesting professionals and uncovered important insights about physical health, mental health, social needs, and racial inequality in healthcare among others. We look forward to season two, which starts January 5.

2. National Recognitions
We are honored that two important national organizations reviewed our hard work over the past several years and honored us with prestigious designations. We were designated as a Magnet Center for Nursing Excellence
for the 5th time in a row. Only 28 organizations worldwide can make that claim. We also received the year’s only Rural Healthcare Leadership Award given by the American Hospital Association.

1. Emergency Department Expansion and Renovation
From the fun and festive Groundbreaking Celebrations to the solemn but exciting Lodge Demolition, we had a great time looking toward the future of providing
cutting-edge emergency care in a new space.

Stay tuned for more good news on these projects and others in 2022! Happy New Year!

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COVID and Kids

When I first heard the news about COVID-19, I was relieved as both a parent and pediatrician that it seemed unlikely to seriously affect children. However, more recently in both the literature and amongst colleagues, I began hearing about an uncommon but serious inflammatory disorder affecting some children with COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are calling this “Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children” or MIS-C.

My goal in writing today is to dispel myths about this new manifestation of the illness, provide helpful steps families can take to protect their kids from COVID-19, and assure that medical providers are aware of this new subset of COVID-19 and taking appropriate steps to keep your children safe.

Symptoms of MIS-C include inflammation in the skin and eyes, irritability and sluggishness, along with fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. The symptoms are similar to a rare childhood illness called Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of the blood vessels and primarily affects children under 5 years of age.

There is very little known about MIS-C due to the small number of cases around the country. However, the medical community is monitoring this new syndrome very closely to learn all they can about it. I would like to emphasize that this condition is very rare and occurs a few weeks after a child has already recovered from COVID-19 infection.

As we have throughout the pandemic, pediatricians are urging families to take precautions to prevent their exposure to COVID-19. This includes reducing close contact with others by staying home as much as possible and avoiding congregating in groups. Anyone over the age of two should wear a mask when outside of the home.

Wash your hands and your child’s with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and sanitize frequently touched surfaces at least twice per day. Avoid touching your face and teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. Aim to wash and dry plush toys about once a week.

There are special precautions to take if someone in your household is ill. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html for details.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating a healthy routine for your children that includes balanced meals, learning at home, exercise, social connection (Facetime, videochat, and in person with household), and adequate rest. This will help your children remain both physically and mentally healthy during this stressful time. Continue to reassure your children that the medical community is working hard to keep them safe during this time. Be sure to monitor their media consumption, watch for signs of anxiety, and be a good role model in regards to COVID-19 safety measures.

Call your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your children’s health, including symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C listed above. There are still important reasons to bring your child physically into the office such as immunizations, developmental checks, and growth monitoring. We would like to reassure you that we are taking proper steps to allow your children to safely receive care at our offices.

More detailed information about keeping your child healthy is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children.html. For information about obtaining healthy food or other basic needs for your family, dial 2-1-1.

Dr. Meghan Gunn is the medical director of SVMC Pediatrics.

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