The University of Vermont Health Network will close a series of administrative and clinical services across the state, including Central Vermont Medical Center’s Inpatient Psychiatric unit, in an effort to comply with orders to cut more than $100 million in spending this fiscal year.Earlier this year, the Green Mountain Care Board ordered UVMHN to cut $122 million from Central Vermont Medical Center and the University of Vermont Medical Center in light of lost revenue from the previous year and budget cuts, according to the network.The closure of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at CVMC was among the biggest changes made to save money. UVMHC said the unit has an average daily census of eight patients.Other cuts include eliminating $18 million in administrative expenses, reducing the number of patients who stay overnight at the UVMMC from 450 to 400, and eliminating surgical renal transplants at the UVMMC. The cuts also include ending UVMHC staffing and operation of kidney dialysis clinics outside of primary service areas in Vermont and consolidating some family medicine and rehabilitation clinics as part of CVMC.UVMHC said their actions will also result in an expected workforce reduction of as many as 200 people, including employed staff and temporary or travel staff. Those changes are expected to take place beginning immediately and will continue for the next several months. “These decisions we are being forced to make are painful because there are patients connected to each one of them. I apologize to our patients and to our employee colleagues who will be impacted,” Sunny Eappen, the president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network, said in a statement. “As a nonprofit academic health system rooted in the rural communities we serve, we know these cuts will affect our friends, our families and our neighbors who need the lifesaving care we provide.”Sue Becker, the grievance chair of the nurses union at CVMC, said in a statement that the closure of the inpatient psychiatric unit will devastate mental health care in the community and throughout the organization.”It’s an unacceptable decision. UVM Health Network and CVMC management are blaming the Green Mountain Care Board, however, this is the fault of executives and leaders who have failed to plan their budgets accordingly. We are not going to stand by and let this happen,” Becker said.Meanwhile, the closure of patient services, including the CVMC Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, comes as a surprise to the Green Mountain Care Board, according to a statement issued on Thursday.”The GMCB was not consulted on, and did not approve, these reductions,” the statement reads in part. “The GMCB is reaching out to UVMMC to better understand UVMMC’s rationale and how it evaluated alternatives, such as those identified in the GMCB’s budget and enforcement orders.”The board said it is committed to reviewing UVMMC’s decision with the hospital and discussing whether there are alternatives available.NBC5’s Alexis Crandall will have more on this story beginning at 4 p.m. on the evening newscast.
The University of Vermont Health Network will close a series of administrative and clinical services across the state, including Central Vermont Medical Center’s Inpatient Psychiatric unit, in an effort to comply with orders to cut more than $100 million in spending this fiscal year.
Earlier this year, the Green Mountain Care Board ordered UVMHN to cut $122 million from Central Vermont Medical Center and the University of Vermont Medical Center in light of lost revenue from the previous year and budget cuts, according to the network.
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The closure of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at CVMC was among the biggest changes made to save money. UVMHC said the unit has an average daily census of eight patients.
Other cuts include eliminating $18 million in administrative expenses, reducing the number of patients who stay overnight at the UVMMC from 450 to 400, and eliminating surgical renal transplants at the UVMMC. The cuts also include ending UVMHC staffing and operation of kidney dialysis clinics outside of primary service areas in Vermont and consolidating some family medicine and rehabilitation clinics as part of CVMC.
UVMHC said their actions will also result in an expected workforce reduction of as many as 200 people, including employed staff and temporary or travel staff. Those changes are expected to take place beginning immediately and will continue for the next several months.
“These decisions we are being forced to make are painful because there are patients connected to each one of them. I apologize to our patients and to our employee colleagues who will be impacted,” Sunny Eappen, the president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network, said in a statement. “As a nonprofit academic health system rooted in the rural communities we serve, we know these cuts will affect our friends, our families and our neighbors who need the lifesaving care we provide.”
Sue Becker, the grievance chair of the nurses union at CVMC, said in a statement that the closure of the inpatient psychiatric unit will devastate mental health care in the community and throughout the organization.
“It’s an unacceptable decision. UVM Health Network and CVMC management are blaming the Green Mountain Care Board, however, this is the fault of executives and leaders who have failed to plan their budgets accordingly. We are not going to stand by and let this happen,” Becker said.
Meanwhile, the closure of patient services, including the CVMC Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, comes as a surprise to the Green Mountain Care Board, according to a statement issued on Thursday.
“The GMCB was not consulted on, and did not approve, these reductions,” the statement reads in part. “The GMCB is reaching out to UVMMC to better understand UVMMC’s rationale and how it evaluated alternatives, such as those identified in the GMCB’s budget and enforcement orders.”
The board said it is committed to reviewing UVMMC’s decision with the hospital and discussing whether there are alternatives available.
NBC5’s Alexis Crandall will have more on this story beginning at 4 p.m. on the evening newscast.
