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CEO Message to the Community – August 2024

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Happy 75th Birthday, Grace Cottage!

Happy 75th Birthday Grace Cottage

We are so happy to celebrate our 75th birthday! Grace Cottage Hospital opened its doors on August 7, 1949 and has been caring for the community, thanks to generous support from so many of you, for 75 years. I have been Grace Cottage’s CEO for six weeks and I have to say that, having worked in many hospitals and other organizations throughout my career, I have never experienced an organization like Grace Cottage. Our employees are not only incredibly talened, but are caring, kind and compassionate as well. And similarly, the support we receive from our community is second to none. So thank you, and congratulations to all who have helped Grace Cottage reach this amazing milestone.. There really is no place like this, and I am so honored to help guide Grace Cottage into another 75 years!

 


Grace Cottage Won “BEST OF BRATTLEBORO 2024” In All Eligible Categories!

Thanks very much to those of you who cast your votes in the Brattleboro Reformer 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards poll! We won in every category for which we were eligible!

  • Best Hospital
  • Best Pharmacy
  • Best Place to Work
  • Best Physical Therapy
  • Best Emergency Care
  • Best Doctors: Dr. Ewa Arnold; runner-up Dr. Moss Linder
  • Best Pediatricians: Cynthia Howes, CPNP; runner-up Dr. Elizabeth Linder

It’s because of you, our loyal and dedicated patients, community members, and employees, that we’ve again been recognized in these categories. It’s the eighth year in a row that we’ve won Best Place to Work and Best Physical Therapy, and the sixth year in a row for Best Hospital, Best Emergency Care, Best Doctor, and Best Pharmacy. Thank you so very much for helping us earn this public recognition for what we all know to be true: Grace Cottage is The Best!


Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board

As you may have heard, in 2022 legislators in Vermont passed a law that aims to reform healthcare delivery in the state. The law includes funding for Vermont’s healthcare regulatory body, the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), to work with hospitals, other healthcare providers, insurers, and Vermonters to improve the financial health of Vermont’s hospitals. The Green Mountain Care Board hired consulting firm Oliver Wyman to work on this project and project director Dr. Bruce Hamory has been giving presentations about their findings in every hospital community throughout the state. About 40 people were in attendance in Leland & Gray’s (very hot) Dutton Gymnasium on July 15th to hear Dr. Hamory’s “Community Engagement” update.

The CEO of Vermont Association of Hospitals & Health Systems (VAHHS) wrote an excellent column about the work and recommendations of the Green Mountain Care Board’s consultant – click here to read more, and I will keep you updated via the Message to the Community as we hear more about their recommendations.
https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/june/25/del-trecco-hospitals-will-not-accept-recommendations-reduce-care-patients


Hospital Fair Day, Saturday, August 3

The 74th Annual Hospital Fair Day was my first, and my family and I were so incredibly impressed by the dedication and hard work that over 200 volunteers put into setting up and running Fair Day. It was a beautiful day, and there was an overwhelming feeling of community support and camaraderie generated by volunteers and fairgoers. The spirit of caring for Grace Cottage, the hospital that cares for so many people who were volunteering in the booths and those who were patronizing the Fair, was palpable. More than $52,000 was raised at Fair Day this year, a very impressive amount! The 50/50 raffle was won (and donated back to the hospital) by Elizabeth Walker of Dorset, the beautiful quilt made by Deb Record was won by Mary Tietjen, the Mary Meyer Teddy Bear went home with Tina Reynolds and Donna Alexander won the Bromley Adventure Park passes for four. Thank you to everyone who donated items, volunteered, or purchased something at the Fair. And I want to give a shout out to our amazing Facilities Department for all of the work that they do to set up and take down the infrastrure that is necessary for the Fair.

To see more photos, visit our Facebook page. (You don’t have to be a Facebook user to see our page.)


American Flatbread Fundraiser

We want to thank American Flatbread in West Dover for hosting a fundraiser for Grace Cottage on Tuesday, August 6. The restaurant donated a percentage of their proceeds on all pizzas sold that night to the hospital, and we were so pleased that over 70 members of the community joined us for a fun and delicious evening in support of Grace Cottage. The 50/50 raffle was won by Jackie Bedard of Wardsboro and Bert Green of East Dover was the winner of the Outdoor Adventure Package.

 


I hope you enjoy these last days of summer in the best health possible and, if I haven’t already, I look forward to meeting you in person sometime soon!

Olivia Sweetnam, CEO