Medical Matters Weekly Welcomes Chief Clinical Officer from Woebot Health on September 7
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Medical Matters Weekly Welcomes Chief Clinical Officer from Woebot Health on September 7

Listeners will learn about the leading edge of technology’s use in mental health

BENNINGTON, VT—August 30, 2022—The next guest on Medical Matters Weekly is Athena Robinson, PhD, chief clinical officer for Woebot Health, a pioneer in the development of relational technologies and tools to support mental health. The show airs on Facebook Live at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7.

The show is produced by Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can view on facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington. The show is also available to view or download as a podcast on svhealthcare.org/medicalmatters.

Dr. Robinson holds a PhD with a specialty in behavioral medicine from the Joint Doctoral Program at the University of California, San Diego/San Diego State University; a master's in clinical psychology from San Diego State University; and a bachelor's in psychology and social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist and continues her private practice in the state of California.

In addition, Dr. Robinson is the recipient of a number of research awards and fellowships, including from the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Cancer Institute, the NCAA, and Stanford University. She is the author of dozens of peer-reviewed research publications, articles, books and book chapters on subjects ranging from digital mental health technology to eating disorders, and professional well-being. Her areas of expertise include evidence-based digital therapeutics, implementation science, and treatment-outcome behavioral health research.

Medical Matters Weekly features the innovative personalities who drive positive change within health care and related professions. The show addresses all aspects of creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all, including food and nutrition, housing, diversity and inclusion, groundbreaking medical care, exercise, mental health, the environment, research, and government. The show is broadcast on Facebook Live, YouTube, and all podcast platforms. After the program, the video is available on area public access television stations CAT-TV (Comcast channel 1075) and GNAT-TV's (Comcast channel 1074), as well as on public access stations throughout the United States.
 
About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices. 

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index in 2020 and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

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5 Questions with the Chair of the Department of Surgery

Malcolm Paine, MD, of SVMC OB/GYN, serves as the chair of the Department of Surgery. We asked him five questions about COVID-19 and how it feels to deliver care right now.

SVMC: What would you like to share with patients at this time?
MP: First, on behalf of the Department of Surgery, I would like to acknowledge how tough it has been for our community members who have been affected by this pandemic. We see such tremendous strength in those who have been ill or lost loved ones to illness and in those who are working hard to get by without a job or while homeschooling their children. We are proud to be part of this community, whose careful social distancing efforts have prevented an unmanageable surge.

We are grateful, too, that as restrictions loosen, we can get back to seeing patients and providing care in a timely way. On the surface, the care may look or feel a little different—everyone will be wearing masks, for instance—but once we get accustomed to the changes, we hope that you will recognize the same level of personalized care we all enjoyed before COVID-19.

SVMC: What are the potential risks associated with postponing care?
MP: There are many types of surgery that can be delayed for a short time, often without any negative repercussions . However, surgery is often for situations that cause pain, and delaying the procedure can result in that pain getting worse or not getting better. Sometimes, there are situations where a minor surgery, if delayed, can turn into a more major or emergency surgery, and the patient can become very sick.

SVMC: In general, what additional precautions have been put in place to ensure that care is safe?
MP:
We are absolutely committed to the safety of our patients, staff, and the community. We know how important it is for patients to be able to know and trust that we have their safety in mind at all times. We always want to use the best science and advice from the State to guide our practices. We have put several new measures in place.

We screen all patients and advocates who come to the hospital to make sure they do not have a fever or possible symptoms of COVID-19. All staff also undergo daily screening for fever and symptoms to make sure those looking after patients are healthy. We are also testing all patients with planned surgical procedures for COVID-19. This is performed as an outpatient test at no cost to the patient and increases our confidence that we are not putting patients or staff at increased risk. Patients with a scheduled surgery are encouraged to call ahead if they are feeling unwell, and after surgery, patients will be asked to check for fever for 14 days to make sure they stay healthy.

SVMC: How would patients be notified if COVID risk increased rapidly?
MP:
There is always the chance that there may be a new "surge." In that case, a directive to stop elective procedures would likely come from the State. We may also decide, as a hospital, to stop these procedures in order to keep everyone safe. In that case, we would call the patients to let them know that their scheduled case is delayed until the risk decreases.

SVMC: How would you estimate the risk of contracting COVID-19 at the hospital right now?
MP:
We are tracking these numbers on a daily basis. With all of these safety measures in place and due to the very low numbers of cases we are seeing in this area at the present time, we estimate this risk is extremely low.

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