To The Editor:
This is a letter I sent to Dr. Sunil Eappen, University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC).
Dear Dr. Eappen:
There is no doubt that the health care industry in Vermont, and indeed across the country, is facing daunting challenges. Providing high quality health care that is also affordable is not easy.
While acknowledging those challenges, I am appalled by and frankly incredibly insulted by the statement made yesterday. You stated that “much of our work this year is focused on providing high quality care as close to home as possible and finding innovative ways to control health care costs.”
Meanwhile, the decision has already been made to close the family practice located in the Mad River Valley as well as the physical therapy practice here.
I serve on the board of the Mad River Valley Health Center, Inc. Our organization is the owner of the building where Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) currently operates the Mad River Family Practice (MRFP), its primary care clinic. We have had several meetings with your vice president for primary care services, Lisa Goodrich, as well as Anna Noonan, president and chief operating officer of CVMC to discuss this closing. The word ‘discuss’ is something of a misnomer as we were never afforded the opportunity to make a case for keeping the clinic open and were told that the decision was already made.
After not being able to make a case for keeping the clinics here, we have asked for an explanation of how and why this decision was made. We have not received any reasonable explanation other than ‘consolidation will save money’ in the long run. Yet this decision was made only weeks after the building lease automatically renewed for two years. Hence, CVMC will remain liable for that rent long after the building has been vacated. How is this controlling cost?
While no information has been shared directly with patients it appears that patients of the MRFP will be assigned to the clinic in Waterbury while patients of the physical therapy practice will likely have to travel to Berlin for treatment (at least a 40-minute drive).
How is either of these decisions compatible with your statement that you are focused on providing high quality care as close to home as possible?
Don Murray, president
Mad River Valley Health Center, Inc.
