We’re nearly there. It gives us great please to report that we’re now within just 8 percent of our total goal. Here’s a special word from our CEO Mick Brant about the current fundraising efforts and what lies ahead for our small rural hospital.

“I’d like to thank all (literally over 1,000 of you) whose gifts helped to make the Medical Imaging Suite addition and technology upgrades possible. With your generosity, we’ve almost achieved the fundraising goal of $800,000.

Medical Imaging Suite Fundraising Campaign - We're nearly there!

Now it’s time to prepare for the next key projects to improve patient care. All of Grace Cottage’s projects are part of the hospital’s five-year Master Plan that was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2009.

Thanks to an initial grant from The Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund towards this project, Grace Cottage’s Messenger Valley Pharmacy will receive a much-needed renovation this year. Architect Vance Hosford has agreed to donate his expertise again (as he did for the Community Wellness Center two years ago) and ServCorps, that wonderful group of volunteers from Hartford, Connecticut, will come to Townshend for two weeks in September to work on construction (as they did for the Community Wellness Center).

The footprint of the Messenger Valley Pharmacy won’t change, but the barn behind the pharmacy will be renovated for pharmacy use. This renovation will help accommodate the tremendous increase in services that the pharmacists provide to customers on a daily basis. Over the past 14 years, the number of prescriptions filled at Messenger Valley Pharmacy has increased by 216% to 56,000 prescriptions per year, and the medication counseling services that pharmacists provide, including the Medicine-on-Time program, have also increased.

Another grant from the Holt Fund will enable Grace Cottage to start planning for the renovation of the Emergency Department, also part of the hospital’s five-year Master Plan. More details about planning for this project will follow in future issues of Cottage Door.

The intent of Grace Cottage’s Master Plan is to enhance the community’s health care in the future, with continued focus on what Grace Cottage does best: delivering high-quality, patient-focused primary care.”

Mick Brant, CEO

For more information about our fundraising campaign or to make a donation,  please click here. As always, thank you for your support.

And they're off!

Come rain or come shine, this May we can all bounce back from the winter blues with the Grace Cottage Hospital Spring into Health 5k. This is a great event to join for health, for community and most of all for fun. Although this event is timed, it’s not a competition and we encourage people of all ages and abilities to get out and run, jog, walk, stroll or roll.

Here’s a rough outline of the 5K route:

The Spring into Health 5K will start on the Townshend Common. Participants will take a left onto Grafton Road ( Route 35) to a clearly marked turn around water station. Then return on a gently downward incline to the Townshend Common, passing through the timer at the end.

We’ll have healthy snacks and water available in the finish area to revitalize our fearless participants. Though we wish we had the power to closed the race course, it is important to mention that the 5K takes place on an active road and there may be traffic. A Windham County Sheriff car will be at either end of the course, but good sense and caution are a must to ensure everyone completes the 5K safely.

As you know, parking on the street in Townshend is limited, so we encourage participants to park at Leland & Gray High School.

Spring Into Health 5k

WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2012 8:30 AM

WHERE: Townshend Common, Townshend, VT

WHAT: A fun-filled run/walk/stroll to encourage outdoor activity

COST: $15.00 (adults) $10.00 (13 years and under)

REGISTRATION: To register, please download and complete this registration form and waiver.

The first 150 participants to sign-up will receive a cool, technical (a.k.a. breathable) non-cotton t-shirt. So register early.

We look forward to seeing you at the 5K.

We are very pleased to offer increased coverage for pediatric services by welcoming Dr. Katya Petrova to the Grace Cottage Hospital staff.

Dr. Petrova received her master’s degree in biomedical sciences at Albany Medical College, Center for Immunology and Microbial Diseases, after having completed her first medical degree at Russian State Medical University in Moscow. She finished her residency at State University of New York Downstate and has been seeing patients at Just So Pediatrics in Brattleboro. She began seeing pediatric patients at Grace Cottage Family Health on January 6, 2012.

Katya Petrova, MD

Dr. Petrova will be seeing patients on Wednesdays and Fridays and Dr. Elizabeth Linder will continue to see pediatric patients at Grace Cottage on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

This arrangement will allow pediatric coverage at Grace Cottage Family Health five days per week. In addition, Dr. Petrova will continue seeing patients at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s pediatric clinics in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls.

Dr. Petrova has served as an English language interpreter for medical missions to the Ukraine and Russia. Her interests include sewing, reading and ice skating.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Petrova. We’re very honored to have her as part of the Grace Cottage Family.

To schedule an appointment, please call (802) 365-4331.

In the short time since its grand opening on November, 18, the new Medical Imaging Suite at Grace Cottage Hospital has already begun to improve patient care in Townshend, Vermont. And this is only the beginning.

Flinging dirt at the Groundbreaking Ceremony in June, 2011.

“The patients who have used the new space love the privacy of the self-contained suite,” says Director of Diagnostic Imaging Angie Clark. “And if more than one type of imaging is needed, such as ultrasound and CT, it’s easy to move from one room to another within the imaging suite.”

The new suite, a 20′ x 40′ expansion on the back of the Grace Cottage facility near the ER, houses several state-of-the-art devices for diagnosing patient needs including a CT scanner, ultrasound machine, digital X-ray, and bone density machine.

“Keeping up with changes in technology can be very expensive for a small, rural hospital, but it’s absolutely necessary.” Mick Brant, CEO

Thanks to donations and grants from a very generous community of supporters, just over $712,000 has been raised to date in donations and pledges, with under $90,000 left to go to reach our goal.

“This project represents a big step forward in patient care at Grace Cottage,” Brant added. “The newly installed 40-slice CT scanner scans quickly and with less radiation than the old 4-slice machine.”

The new CT room and 40-slice scanner.

So what is a CT-scanner anyway? “CT” stands for Computerized Tomography. Rather than sending a single X-ray through the body, as with ordinary X-rays, CT scanners send several beams simultaneously from different angles. A computer then assembles the images into a three dimensional model that is much more detailed than traditional X-rays.

Being able to offer these new kinds of imaging helps patients at Grace Cottage “get a convenient, rapid and accurate diagnosis, which in some situations is life saving,” says Dr. Robert Backus.

Grace Cottage is very grateful for the ongoing support of its patients and community. We look forward to using this new suite to better serve our patients in the future.

It’s not too late to have your name on the Medical Imaging Suite donor wall – contact Andrea or Mary at Grace Cottage Foundation at (802) 365-9109 if you would like to make a gift.

Exciting news everyone. According to a press release by the Vermont Department of Health, Vermont was again named the healthiest state in the nation as the United Health Foundation released its 2011 edition of America’s Health Rankings™. Here are some highlights from the press release.

Vermont has been among the top five healthiest states for the past eight years, climbing steadily from 20th in 1990 to 12th in 2000, to become first in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

This year, Vermont ranked among the top 10 healthiest states in 15 of 23 public health measures relating to behaviors, community and environment, health policies, clinical care, and health outcomes.

“Public health is what we all do together to assure the conditions in which people can be their healthiest,” said Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD. “Compared to other states, Vermonters are faring well. But not all of us are as healthy as we can be – especially those who are younger, have less education and lower incomes.”

Vermont is notable for its high rates of high school graduation, lower incidence of infectious disease, low violent crime rate, and high use of early prenatal care. Vermont also this year received the first and only ‘A’ on the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card.

“We can all take pride in Vermont’s standing as the healthiest state,” said Gov. Peter Shumlin. “This is a time to celebrate and learn from our successes to meet the great health challenges ahead.”

View the full state report from the United Health Foundation.

Congratulations fellow Vermonters. If you’re looking for more ways to stay healthy, be sure to check out the upcoming events in our Wellness Calendar.

“Healthy lifestyles are much easier to maintain in supportive environments,” said Grace Cottage’s Senior Director of Rehabilitation and Wellness Crystal Mansfield. “It was through a series of detailed questions and answers, followed by extensive discussions, that Grace Cottage Hospital’s employees realized that there were some immediate, relatively easy changes that could be made at the hospital to further encourage healthy lifestyles.”

The first improvement took place in the cafeteria lunch line. It has been rearranged so the salad bar is now first, followed by the hot food buffet.

“The first change we made may sound small,” said Denise Choleva, Grace Cottage’s Dietary Manager, “but it’s actually made a huge impact here. Now people fill up on healthy items like lettuce, vegetables, fruits and nuts. By the time they get to the hot buffet, they don’t have much room on their plates.”

Other changes made in the kitchen include the elimination of potato chips and soda. The funds that were being used to purchase these items are now being used to buy local, fresh foods. And the changes won’t stop there.

“Additional changes are being planned,” said Mansfield, “and we’re very excited and pleased that the Healthy Communities Coalition of Windham County has been chosen as a national model by YMCA of the USA.”

Here’s an excerpt about the assessment and planning process at Grace Cottage Hospital from the coalition’s video “Bright Spots: Stories from the Healthy Communities Coalition”. Watch their full video here.

To learn more about what’s changing at Grace Cottage, become a fan on Facebook and follow @gracecottagevt on Twitter.

It’s hard for a lot of us to get motivated about a new exercise regime. Even if you have a workout buddy, what happens when they can’t make it? Do you skip the gym to avoid going alone? What if you could get the motivational benefit of group classes and get a powerful workout, but feel like you’re at a dance party with your friends? You can. It’s called Zumba — the Latin-infused fitness party — and here’s a chance to try it out right here at Grace Cottage Hospital.

Zumba Festivals draw big crowds to the workout party. Photo: Simon Schoeters (Cimm) on Flickr.

Forget what you know about exercise. Who cares what you know about dancing. The Zumba workout combines easy-to-follow moves with invigorating Latin music, creating a fitness program that’s both effective and enjoyable. This workout is appropriate for all ages and accommodates any fitness level. The only requirements are comfy clothes, low tread sneakers, a water bottle and the ability to have fun.

Carrie Goldsmith is a certified Zumba instructor.

Zumba has become a hugely popular workout routine that’s featured in fitness centers, community gyms and even nightclubs around the world. There are even Zumba festivals and workout concerts where groups of thousands participate to get fit and have fun. The workout is led by a Zumba instructor who cheers you through the dance moves as they call them out. It’s like a big game of Simon Says, but with the benefits of a fitness class.

Grace Cottage Hospital’s Wellness Center will host two eight-week classes starting on October 25th.

Come and dance your way to fitness on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Fee: $80 either Tues/Thurs series; $150/both Tues and Thurs; $13.00 drop-in fee.

Taught by certified Zumba instructor Carrie Goldsmith, this has quickly become one of the Wellness Center’s most popular offerings. The class is limited to 20 participants so call 802-365-3649 to pre-register right away.

Some exciting news just came in on the press wire. We are proud to announce we were voted one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the U.S. by WomenCertified.com. This was an unexpected honor and it’s a great testament to our doctors, medical staff and hospital employees who are always working to provide patient care, second to none.

Here’s the full press release:

Townshend VT – Grace Cottage Hospital has been named one of the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience by WomenCertified®, based on female patient satisfaction. WomenCertified is an organization committed to helping women identify hospitals that value the patient experience and value the needs of female patients.

Hospitals do not apply for this award, but are selected for this prestigious annual list based on a scoring process that incorporates Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores along with an additional level of analysis that weighs criteria identified as the most important to women.

Grace Cottage Hospital and Fletcher Allen Health Care were the two Vermont hospitals recognized because of their high patient satisfaction scores. “Everyone who works here at Grace Cottage goes beyond patient care,” said Grace Cottage CEO Mick Brant, “and we
are pleased that patients recognize this when they fill out their patient satisfaction surveys.
It’s an honor to be recognized in this way, and also to be a Women’s Choice Award
recipient.”

“Women make or influence more than 85% of all healthcare decisions for themselves
and their families,” said Delia Passi, CEO and founder of WomenCertified® and former
publisher of Working Mother and Working Women magazines. “Recognizing the
top hospitals nationwide that are women-friendly and align with women’s identified
preferences is important to our mission at WomenCertified, where we are women helping
women make smart choices.” For more information, visit www.womencertified.com.

Thanks to all of our patients for continuing to spread the word about Grace Cottage Hospital and their positive experiences here. We’re elated to have you as part of the Grace Cottage family.

Raffling prizes at the Annual Poker Walk.

Every October, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) celebrates National Physical Therapy Month to recognize the important roles that physical therapists and physical therapist assistants play in helping people maintain, improve and restore the mobility necessary to stay fit, active and independent while enjoying the things they like to do as they age.

Here at Grace Cottage, we encourage everyone to get out and exercise for their health and to enjoy the natural beauty we are blessed with here in Vermont. As part of this national celebration Grace Cottage Hospital’s Rehabilitation Department holds an Annual Poker Walk as a way to promote healthy activity, engage the community and have some fun.

This year, the 13th Annual Poker Walk will be held on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.

The course

This two-mile walk/run begins at the Grace Cottage Hospital Wolff Building, where outpatient rehabilitation is located. The course goes north for one mile on Grafton Road (Route 35), then back again to the Wolff Building. It’s a relatively flat and paved route to accommodate walkers of all ages and abilities.

The game

Playing cards are dealt to walkers at different points along the route. At the end of the route each participant’s hand is recorded.  Walkers may do the course as often as they wish, collecting a different poker hand each time and increasing their chances of winning.

The best hand gets two nights here.

The prize

Well, everyone’s a winner of course, but the participant with the best poker hand at the end of the day takes home the grand prize — a romantic weekend getaway for two at the Snow Goose Inn in West Dover.

There are also several door prizes donated  by local businesses including bed and breakfasts, auto repair shops, restaurants, artists, markets, gift shops and more that will be raffled off.

The Annual Poker Walk is held rain or shine and it’s free and open to the public. Participants may start at the Wolff Building anytime between 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Advance registration is not required.

Hundreds of walkers have attended over the years, so put on your walking shoes, practice your poker face and come out and join the fun. Good luck.

For more information contact Grace Cottage Hospital at 365-3649.

Everyone in the Grace Cottage “family” has been affected in some way by the havoc wreaked in this area by Irene. Some employees and patients have lost their homes and/or businesses, and our hearts go out to all, especially those so severely impacted. Some are still without power, some have been evacuated, some are isolated on back roads or in towns that are still closed off. We give great thanks to the employees who stayed through the storm, kept Grace Cottage Hospital up and running.

Grace Cottage Hospital never skipped a beat, never lost power, and has stayed open and treating patients during this whole event. Grace Cottage has been working closely with the civil emergency personnel in the surrounding towns to keep the townspeople safe and healthy. While there has been widespread damage, neighbors have been helping neighbors in the usual Vermont way and the staff at Grace Cottage has been here to help.

It has been confirmed by the Army Corp. of Engineers Army Colonel himself, that the Townshend Dam is stable and in NO DANGER. On Sunday they had a small culvert near the dam give but that is separate from the Dam and has no impact on the dam itself.

Damages

If your home sustained any damage or you had to evacuate you can register for FEMA/state disaster assistance.

• register online at www.disasterassistance.gov
• call the toll-free registration number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

Road Closures

Call 511 or visit www.511vt.com for current information about travel conditions throughout Vermont.

Volunteering

If you have time to volunteer or resources to offer, such as equipment and supplies, an organization in the Londonderry/Jamaica/Bondville/Weston area that you can call is Neighborhood Connections at 824-4343 and let them know:

• Your name and contact details
• What you can offer / your availability
• What towns you can help in

Conversely, if you need assistance, and you’re in the Londonderry area, please call Neighborhood Connections at 824-4343 and let them know:

• Your name and contact details, including your town
• The status / priority of your situation
• What assistance you need

They will work to match volunteers and resources with those who need it.

Donations

The Stratton Foundation has established a relief fund and is accepting financial contributions.  You can donate online, and you can also designate your contribution to a specific town, or the general area, if you wish.

We will be continuing to post links to more information on our Facebook page and on Twitter.

As always, the doors at Grace Cottage are open!