2022 by the Numbers
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2022

2022 by the Numbers

What a year! Southwestern Vermont Health Care is looking back at the biggest stories from the last year and tallying our successes. Here’s 2022 by the numbers.

Medical Staff
We welcomed 15 new providers in 2022 in such specialties as Cardiology, OB/GYN, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, Surgery, and others. More than that, our physicians made great news by getting
important new certifications and taking aim at the Olympics games. We show no signs of slowing; more than 10 new providers are already planning to join us in the new year.

Nursing
Like the medical staff, the nurses of SVMC had a great year. We topped the charts for
nurse satisfaction, launched the state’s one and only accredited nursing residency program, and earned a distinction  for shared governance, a powerful indication of just how empowered our nurses are. In addition, we gave nine DAISY awards and four DAISY team awards. Great work, nurses!

New Services in New Locations
Together, doctors, nurses, and others launched two new services. Most notably, SVMC launched an
Interventional Pain Management Service to help those with chronic pain. In the past, patients traveled up to an hour away for the same care. Now it is more convenient than ever.

We also brought weight loss surgery closer to local residents by forging a partnership with Capital Bariatrics of Albany, NY. On top of that, our Outpatient Therapy department expanded speech therapy to Northshire and Deerfield campuses and occupational therapy to Deerfield.

SVHC Foundation
Hundreds of donors contributed to record-breaking fundraising efforts in support of local health care. An astounding $450,000 was raised at the annual
Summer Gala. Over the last few years, the Foundation has raised $24 million to support the Vision 2020, A Decade of Transformation Capital Campaign for improved and expanded emergency and cancer care services. The total puts them just $1 million away from their $25 million goal.

The New Emergency Department
SVHC has put those funds to work making
a major transformation to our Emergency Department and main entrance. Dozens of construction workers showed up every weekday of the past year to carry out the thousands of tasks necessary to continue this important project. There are just 20 weeks before the scheduled completion of the first phase of the project.

In the final hours of 2022, Southwestern Vermont Health Care is grateful to its 1,300 staff members for all they do to fulfill our mission of exceptional care and comfort to the 75,000 people we serve. Happy New Year!

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Six Questions with General Surgeon Gina Diaz, MD

Both outpatient surgical procedures and those requiring an overnight stay are once again being offered at SVMC. General Surgeon Gina Diaz, MD, answers six questions about resuming surgical procedures safely.

1. How does it feel to be able to, once again, offer all of the procedures you had in the past?

As a surgeon, I like to do surgeries. So, to be honest, it feels wonderful get back to the work I enjoy. From late March through the beginning of May, we were still performing emergency surgeries, so everyone who needed a surgery was able to receive one during that time. But it's good to be back to a mix of scheduled and emergency procedures.

 

2. What types of procedures you perform?

My mentor during training sub-specialized in colon and rectal surgeries, and he passed that expertise and interest on to me. But I decided not to sub-specialize, because I also enjoy doing gall bladders, ulcer surgery, hernias, and the removal of skin lesions, cysts, and melanomas. Dr. Charles Salem and I work as a team on breast cancer surgeries. As a group, we provide thyroid and parathyroid and endocrine surgeries. And I provide colonoscopies. I grew up playing video games, which have a lot in common with colonoscopies, I think.

 

3. What do you like most about your job?

Surgery allows you to fix a problem for a patient right then and there. You don't have to wait 6 months for the problem to get better. You can make a problem go away. It’s very rewarding in that way.

 

4. In general, what additional precautions have been put in place to ensure that care is safe?

As surgeons, our precautionary measures have always been among the most advanced. We have always washed and sanitized many, many times a day. We were accustomed to wearing masks and shields, long before COVID-19. We implemented all of the recommendations from our industry, state, and national health institutions and review them consistently.

The whole team takes and reports their temperature daily. If patients are at risk of COVID-19, we wear N95 masks and can convert the operating room into a negative-pressure room. All of these precautions ensure that we don’t transmit infections to patients and they don't transmit them to us. I feel really good about the precautions that we have put in place.

 

5. What would you like to share with people who postponed care because of COVID-19?

I would share that it is safe to come to the hospital, see your providers, and have surgeries done. Adequate precautions are in place, and they are not going anywhere. We, as a group, feel it's safe. We encourage patients who are apprehensive to ask a lot of questions. We want them to be as comfortable as we are about having their procedure done.

 

6. How do you feel about providing care during this time?

I feel comfortable and safe providing care at this time. The new precautions we have put in place really protect both patients and staff, and the quality of care we provide is as high as ever. 

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