COVID-19
Editor’s Note:
NMC Team Meeting the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Fiscal Year 2021 (FY’21) has been the story of two surges of COVID-19 here in Vermont. After a quiet summer in 2020, October of 2020 marked the start of a surge that would last through June of 2021, taking great toll on patients and healthcare providers. After a brief dip in June and July of 2021, another surge hit and continues with higher case counts than prior surges. We cannot thank our staff, our medical staff, our volunteers, and our community partners for how everyone has come together to meet the challenges. The effort has been incredible. The NMC Board and all the leaders at NMC are so incredibly grateful for all our team has done to meet community need.
We have been fortunate that nearly 90% of Vermonters have been vaccinated, as vaccines have proven to less the spread of COVID-19 and significantly reduce the hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.
Still, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every element of healthcare. It has added infectious patients to already near-capacity inpatient units. It has significantly increased patients seeking care from Primary Care, Pediatrics, Urgent Care, and the Emergency Department, pushing those services to capacity. It has created tremendous demand for timely testing and vaccination, prompting NMC to reopen offsite testing and vaccination services. At the same time, our staffing has been disrupted with increased call-outs due to exposures in the community or in their children at school. These pressures have necessitated the redeployment of staff from their normal roles to be hands on in other areas. For brief periods, NMC has had to postpone elective surgeries in light of the inpatient census and the need for the surgical nurses to staff other areas to help care for our sickest of patients.
As 2022 opens, Vermont continues on a concerning COVID trend. We are fortunate that vaccination has significantly reduced hospitalizations and deaths. Still, even the vaccinated can contract and transmit COVID, so we stress the need for masks in public areas, proper hand washing, and good social distancing.
The proven strategies to reduce transmission remain critical to containing spread and avoiding overwhelming the healthcare system. Social distancing, masking when social distancing cannot be maintained, proper hand hygiene, not going out when symptomatic, and getting vaccinated have served Vermonters well. These steps must continue. Boosters are now available and NMC continues to strongly encourage everyone who can be vaccinated or boosted to do so as soon as possible. It truly makes a difference in the severity of illness and the rate of transmission.
We have heard from so many in our community how thankful they are for the exhaustive work of the NMC team throughout the pandemic. Doing your part in preventing additional cases, through the steps outlined above, is one of the most effective and appreciated ways you can show your support for all their amazing work.
NMC Launches Hand Hygiene Campaign
On April 1, NMC launched a re-vamped Hand Hygiene Observation team to obtain at least 30 observations in each department. The Observation Team launched with observations of hand hygiene in Surgical Services, Emergency Department, Progressive Care, and FBC. NMC set the organizational goal of 90% compliance with an expectation for improvement from all departments.
All care staff are observed on a monthly basis and the department with the highest hand hygiene compliance is recognized for their achievement. Here are the departments we have celebrated for the compliance and improvement in the last six months.
Five-Star Employees
In January 2021, NMC launched a new employee recognition program. The 5-Star Employee Recognition is a new program to recognize employees that exemplify the commitment to the level of care and service that NMC strives to achieve. These employees emulate our mission of exceptional healthcare for our community and embody the Service Excellence Standards in their work.
Employees are nominated by co-workers who submit their nominations through an online form. The 5-Star Employee committee selects monthly winners using the Service Excellence standards as guidelines and will verify the selection with the employee’s manager for eligibility.
High Reliability
High Reliability Brings Greater Safety and Quality
NMC is first and foremost a community hospital on a mission to provide exceptional care. This year, even with the pandemic, we have recommitted to that mission by pursuing “High Reliability” in the safety and quality of our care. We have seen measurable improvements and our patients are all the better for it. We are pleased to share some deeper insight into this approach.
What Is High Reliability?
A High-Reliability Organization delivers exceptionally safe and consistently high-quality service or care even while operating in a complex and high-risk environment. Think of the major airlines and nuclear power plants where the risk of harm from error can be catastrophic. They have intentionally adopted proven High-Reliability approaches to reduce errors and avoid harm. Their work has been inspirational to us in healthcare, as the goal of “zero preventable patient harm” comes naturally to us.
“High Reliability is not a “program of the month or a fad,” says CEO Dr. Dean French. “It is a proven, evidence-based approach to improving the safety and quality of care and service. It is how NMC must act to protect our patients and improve our care from our current 3-star to our goal of 5-star in the national CMS ratings.”
”It’s not that we will never make mistakes,” says Dr. John Minadeo, Chief Medical Quality Officer and an advocate of High Reliability. “It’s that we will take the right steps to prevent mistakes and to not let mistakes cause harm.”
Embracing High Reliability at NMC
Our patients entrust us with their care and we owe them our commitment to zero harm. To deliver on that, NMC is strengthening our culture of safety through education, engagement, and improvement to truly be Highly Reliable.
This involves:
Keys to Success
We are refocusing decision-making across the organization on safety, quality, empathy, and respect. These are our fundamentals, and it is good to get back to them.
A Just Culture:
Sharing Accountability
Improved Communication
Using Proven Tools to Reduce Risk, Avoid Harm
Daily Safety Brief
Highlights & Happenings
Northwestern Sleep Center Opens
Northwestern Medical Center opened a new service the first week in August—the Northwestern Sleep Center, providing sleep study services for patients dealing with sleep disorders.
The new service is led by Dr. Haitham Nsour, a board-certified sleep medicine physician, and is a part of the Northwestern Medical Group. The Sleep Center is located in the former Administration hallway which was renovated to include four bedrooms along with a control room that will be shared with the Infusion Center.
The Northwestern Sleep Center offers diagnostic services for people suffering from sleep disorders. Sleep tests are performed in our comfortable sleep lab located within the hospital building and offer a comfortable, quiet atmosphere
Northwestern Sleep Center can help with conditions that affect a patient’s ability to get quality sleep, including:
Sleep apnea
Snoring
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
Narcolepsy
Sleepwalking
Janet McCarthy, RN, Honored with NMC’s Community Service Award
The Northwestern Medical Center (NMC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Janet McCarthy, RN, as the recipient of NMC’s 2021 Community Service Award in recognition of her long and devoted service to the community through her leadership of Franklin County Home Health Agency and extensive volunteer service.
A nomination of McCarthy said she “has developed a passionate and caring team of Home Health workers that take care of our community. She strived to find opportunities for Home Health to work with the various health care organizations including NMC to best serve our population.”
In addition to her professional role, McCarthy recently completed 9 years of service on the NMC Board of Directors. “Janet’s leadership, knowledge and experience provided a strong voice on the NMC board,” said Jake Holzscheiter, NMC Board Chair, as he presented the award. In addition, McCarthy has served on the Boards of Northwest Counseling and Support Services, VNA Health Systems, VNA's of Vermont, RiseVT and COVE; as well as numerous advisory boards, such as Franklin County Family Center, Club Respite Adult Day Care, BFA Advisory Board, and the Hospice Council of Vermont. She has also been a member of the Franklin County Quilters Guild.
Another nomination summed up McCarthy saying, “She always has a smile on her face. She is one of the most enthusiastic people in our local healthcare galaxy. She sees the whole picture of caring for the people of Franklin County and enjoys the well-earned respect and trust from all those who have worked with her over the years.”
“I am incredibly humbled and speechless,” said McCarthy in accepting the award during the NMC Incorporators’ meeting. “Thank you so much. This is an incredible organization to be honored by. I just love our community.
The NMC Community Service Award was established by the NMC Board of Directors in 2013 to recognize an individual or organization residing in Franklin or Grand Isle Counties who exhibits enthusiasm, integrity, and perseverance beyond the ordinary to help fellow citizens and the community through selfless giving to improve the overall health of the community. Nominations are invited from NMC’s Board, staff, medical staff, volunteers, and Incorporators. The NMC Board makes the selection from the nominations.
The NMC Community Service Award is presented each year at a meeting of the NMC Incorporators. Recipients are presented with a crystal maple leaf commemorative award and have their name added to a plaque which hangs in the NMC Conference Center. Prior recipients of the NMC Community Services Award are: Dr. Thomas Howrigan; Marcia Perry; Helene Biggie; Dr. Frank & Judy Zsoldos; Retired Rear Admiral Warren and Barbara Hamm; Emerson Lynn; Kathleen Keenan, RN, and Pam Cross, RN.
This year, in addition to the individual award, the NMC Board also gave special recognition to all healthcare workers in the community. “NMC’s Board of Directors would like to extend our sincere respect and appreciation to all those who have helped meet the challenge of keeping our community safe and healthy over the past fourteen months,” said Jake Holzscheiter, NMC Board Chair. “The selflessness, the courage, the devotion, and the partnership we have seen has been amazing. It is impossible to name everyone, so we allow me to extend to every worker in every healthcare setting, our most heartfelt thank you. You have been remarkable and we deeply appreciate all you have done and continue to do. Thank you.”
Hospital Week
This year during Hospital Week Restaurant and Catering put together a delicious barbe-cue that almost had a feeling of normalcy to it! NMC’ers and our neighboring community partners were all invited to join us for an outdoor barbe-cue and Management and leadership team members helped to serve food – and luckily the weather cooperated! It felt good to be able to safely gather and enjoy good food and good company.
The Everyone Eats program supported local restaurants, farmers, and people affected by COVID-19, including healthcare workers. A variety of local restaurants were paid with funds from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to prepare nutritionally balanced meals for everyone impacted by COVID-19. These meals are meant for all NMC'ers, as support to frontline workers who deserve a break in meal prep! Meals were distributed to NMC’ers each week from November 2020 through June 2021.
Many NMC’ers took advantage of this opportunity and were grateful for the meals and support.
Stay Safe, Find Fun
During the winter months of the COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions on travel and gathering, NMC’ers shared the ways they were staying safe and having fun with their families. Staff took selfies and photos of their favorite activities and we displayed them on digital monitors throughout our hospital and shared them in the Headliner. It was inspiring and motivating to see the ways staff managed to stay active and find fun during the cold months of the pandemic.
Financials
Improved Financial Health
The entire NMC team has navigated a significant financial turnaround to return the hospital to sustainability
Financial Report
NMC By The Numbers
A few stats about the care provided by NMC
Hospital Admissions
Inpatient Lab Tests
Outpatient Lab Tests
Curbside COVID-19 Tests
Diagnostic Imaging Tests
Specialty Practices Visits
Urgent Care Visits
Emergency Room Visits
Primary Care and Peds Visits
Improved Financial Health
Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic which disrupt nearly all aspects of care, Fiscal Year 2021 (FY’21) was a significant step forward in NMC’s return to sustainability and financial health. NMC finished FY'21 in a positive financial position. One-time stimulus funds helped make this possible. Without one-time stimulus funds, NMC was able to achieve its budget of a small loss from operations. This improvement comes through the remarkable effort of the entire NMC team and the continued trust of our community.
This year’s progress was a continuation of our work in FY’20 to increase quality, reduce administrative costs, alter construction plans, adapt service lines, and align expenses with volumes. We continue to carefully assess all that we do to ensure it is a match for a community hospital and meets community needs. When needed, we are engaging partners to take on services which they are better positioned than the hospital to provide due to expertise, regulation, or reimbursement. For example, Howard Center and Phoenix House have ably taken on outpatient addiction treatment that NMC previously provided at a financial loss. In other instances, it has meant expanding the care available here to better meet community need. Establishing the Sleep Center has helped keep care local and greatly reduced the wait times for appointments. Partnering with Dartmouth Hitchcock on Tele-ICU support has also helped keep care local, reducing the number of patient transfers UVM Medical Center.
As these decisions are made, safety and quality are at the forefront, and they are implemented with empathy and respect. This approach is supported by a renewed financial discipline to ensure the sustainability of initiatives.
Retention of our dedicated staff is an important priority for NMC moving forward. Staff turnover can be disruptive and expensive, particularly during a national nursing shortage and times of very low unemployment. NMC is investing in a variety of retention strategies to ensure the staff we recruit can stay, grow, and thrive here at NMC.
NMC is anticipating the start of the modernization of the Emergency Department. It’s 30-year-old design is inadequate in terms of safety, privacy, workflow, and care of patients with infectious conditions. The project has been approved by the Green Mountain Care Board and is currently on hold, as we await timing within the pandemic that would allow the work to be completed.
As you will see in the reported Financials, NMC’s financial health has improved significantly. We deeply appreciate the work of our staff and Medical Staff to reach this point and the continued trust of our patients and community. Our efforts to ensure true sustainability and better meet community need continue with great promise, even as the impact of the pandemic continues.
A Quick Quiz to Test your NMC Knowledge
NMC has many, many stats that reflect the work we do and the care we deliver. Let’s test your knowledge with a little quiz:
How’d you do? Did you enjoy the quiz? Email us your results, or send us a message about whether you liked this interactive content.
Patient Stories
Gains and Losses:
Local woman sheds 101 pounds, regains mobility and confidence
Highgate Springs - Overcoming decades of debilitating lower-back and knee pain, Donna Flanders, 59, is committed to strengthening her body through therapeutic exercise and balanced nutrition. Triumphantly losing 101 pounds over the past year – she attributes her success in keeping the weight off to the support and encouragement she has received from those around her.
“If I can do this, anyone can do this,” says Flanders, a former athlete, coach, and educator. Recently diagnosed with aging-osteoarthritis, she says, “I hurt every day, but if I wasn’t working out it would be worse.”
Her pain issues began in 1980, after tearing all lower back muscles while playing high school basketball. Working through the injury, she continued athletics into college at Johnson, starting as goalie for the women’s field hockey team and starting guard for the basketball team.
Giving birth to the first of her two daughters the next year, she says her priority became ensuring her girls were taken care of. “My health didn’t matter as much as theirs did, they came first.”
Plagued by joint pain and weight gain most of her adult life, Flanders has endured five meniscus related surgeries on her knees. In 2009, she had spinal fusion surgery, using rods and screws, and three bone grafts to stabilize her lower spine.
“That surgery allowed me to move again - until a few years ago,” says Flanders. “During that time my weight fluctuated up and down, mostly up.”
Subsequently, Flanders had two total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries in 2016, the first in January and the second in May. Spiraling downward, for years she was treated with she calls a cocktail of pain-killing medications. “I could barely get out of bed,” she recalls, suffering from depression and low self-esteem.
Donna Flanders, 59, has triumphantly lost 100 pounds over the past year, through committed physical therapy, exercise, and healthy eating. Flanders has recovered from nine surgeries and says her heaviest weight was 327 pounds.
In 2018 Flanders was injured in a car accident, culminating in another spinal fusion surgery at NMC. Flanders was prescribed rehabilitative physical therapy sessions with NMC’s Physical Therapist, Crissy Sears.
“Although I’d always have pain due to my injuries, they would figure out how to help me manage it.”
Sears strategically started Flanders on aquatic therapy, exercising in the pool to take advantage of the properties of water. “The buoyancy of the water supports body weight making it easier to move, decrease pain, and improve exercise tolerance. The water also provides resistance to movements, which helps to strengthen muscles,” Sears explains.
Following a month of aquatic therapy, Flanders was transitioned to land based physical therapy.
“After prior knee surgeries, I’d never really worked the kinks out,” Flanders says about strengthening her legs for the first time through physical therapy.
“Donna was a competitor and an athlete, and injuries and pain impacted her mobility over the years. I had a gut feeling that once she started to see progress, nothing was going to stop her,” says Sears.
“Attending physical therapy twice a week, Crissy led me to start believing in myself again”
says Flanders
“If I can do this, anyone can do this,” says Donna Flanders, a former athlete, coach, and educator. Flanders has triumphantly lost 100 pounds over the past year – attributing her success in keeping the weight off to the support and encouragement she has received from those around her.
“Attending physical therapy twice a week, Crissy led me to start believing in myself again,” says Flanders. Feeling and seeing results for the first time, she decided to commit to the journey, joining New Beginnings Fitness in Swanton, owned by Spencer and Chrystal Hutchins.
“Between continued therapy with Crissy and with guidance from Chrystal at the gym, my body and mind started changing. The weight started coming off and the pain started to subside some,” Flanders says.
“Donna found a place where she felt comfortable exercising. The support and encouragement she received there is equally as important as any encouragement she received in physical therapy,” says Sears.
“It’s at the gym where Donna’s fitness journey flourished, and where she will continue to thrive and be healthy.”
Too often, clients reach the end of their physical therapy journey with no plan to continue, Sears says, reminding us of importance of being active and exercising on a lifelong basis.
“Donna reminded me of the success we can have if we set goals, have a plan, and have someone who believes in us,” she says. “Donna’s gains in physical mobility were amazing, and then to witness her weight loss journey was just incredible.”
Upon completing her physical therapy at NMC, Flanders had lost 61 pounds. Recently losing pound-100, she stopped by the NMC clinic to share her continued success.
“This is an amazing accomplishment and Donna deserves all the credit for her hard work, self-care and courage,” Sears offers. “Her transformation is one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, and I feel so grateful to have been a part of her journey and success.”
Overcoming decades of debilitating lower-back and knee pain, Donna Flanders, of Highgate Springs, has committed to strengthening her body through a regimen of therapeutic exercise and balanced nutrition. She has lost 100 pounds in the past year.
“I am incredibly proud of all of Donna’s hard work, her dedication, her accomplishments and the power of her positive thinking. She’s an inspiration,” Sears says.
No longer an athlete herself, Flanders coached soccer, basketball, and softball in Bakersfield for 35 years; working within the Bakersfield and Enosburg School systems for over two decades. She was inducted into the Enosburg H.S. Hall of Fame in 2019, for her contribution to local sports.
“This is definitely a lifelong journey,” Flanders says. “I do my exercises religiously and try to get to the gym five or six days a week. I know there are some things I will never be able to do again, that I have limitations.”
A grandmother now to three-year-old Maddox, she says, “he’s the reason I do this, to be around for him.” She has more energy these days and can even get down onto the floor to play with him, something she surely couldn’t have done in year’s past.
“As long as I don’t overdo it and think I’m superwoman, I will keep moving,” she says. “I don’t want to stop moving, I can’t stop. I’m afraid I won’t be able to move again if I do.” --
New Providers
New Providers
NMC welcomed many new providers to the medical staff this year in the fields of Primary Care, Cardiology, Neurology, Audiology, Urgent Care and Emergency Medicine.
Vincent James Miller, MD
Anesthesia
About Dr. Miller
- Most recent work experience: For the majority of my career, I worked at a teaching hospital specializing in cardiothoracic (i.e., heart and lung surgery) and regional anesthesiology (i.e., nerve blocks)
- Relevant work experience for my new role: I have more than 10 years of experience as a physician anesthesiologist.
- Why did I choose NMC: pleasant and experienced colleagues that take pride in caring for the community
- Why I chose my field: Applied physiology and gaining proficiency with procedural skills is an integral part of being an anesthesiologist. Since my favorite subject is physiology and I enjoy performing procedures, anesthesiology is a good fit for me.
- What am I passionate about in the medical field: Often, patients are nervous prior to surgery or they are suffering from an injury when I meet them. I find it rewarding to develop a good rapport, put patients at ease and get them through a difficult time comfortably and safely. It is truly an honor to be able to take care of people in your community.
- I am passionate about learning and currently training to gain my private pilot’s license
- Is there anything else you would like patients to know: I have a partner of 10 years, 4 children, and a rescue dog.
- What type of patients are you most interested in seeing: although I enjoy taking care of all patients, I find caring for critically ill patients most satisfying.
- Do you have any unique skills that you would like to bring to NMC: Being a cardiothoracic and regional anesthesiologist for 14 years, I developed proficiency in echocardiography and ultrasound-guided skills. I would like to share those skills with my colleagues to enhance patient care at NMC.
Robert H Tyson, Jr, MD
Pediatrics
About Dr. Tyson
Dr. Robert Tyson joins NMC from previous work in Pediatric Urgent Care where he treated patients with acute illness, injuries and other emergencies as well as common pediatric complaints. He chose pediatric care because he feels most comfortable working with families, finding following children from birth to adulthood both rewarding and challenging. “I feel the communication between providers and families is critical for a community’s health,” he says. “Being able to show compassion, empathy, active listening and respect in all areas of bedside medicine is the first step in establishing trust between the doctor and patient.” NMC was a good choice for Dr. Tyson because of the welcoming environment, the commitment to community health and well-being, and the local area’s physical beauty. In his free time, Dr. Tyson enjoys spending time with family, especially in the outdoors with activities like fishing, hunting, skiing and hiking.
Alexandra C. Schmidt, MD
Plastic Surgery
About Dr. Schmidt
Alexandria Schmidt, MD is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon. Dr. Schmidt has joined Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery to perform a full range of aesthetic surgery of face, breast, and body.
Dr. Schmidt received her undergraduate and master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University. She attended Vanderbilt University and completed her Plastic surgery residency at Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to rigorous plastic and reconstructive surgery residency training, Dr. Schmidt was also one of few surgeons to complete an advanced aesthetic plastic surgery fellowship endorsed by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
A native Vermonter, Dr. Schmidt has returned to her home state with her family. Dr. Schmidt is passionate about improving patients’ self-confidence and quality of life and strives to develop life-long relationships with her patients. Dr. Schmidt aims to provide a warm, friendly, and supportive environment where patients feel at ease, and they can work together to develop the best-individualized treatment plan.
In her spare time, Dr. Schmidt loves spending time outdoors with her husband, two boys, and two rescue dogs. She also likes to hike, run, lift weights, and cross-country ski, and in the last few years, she has become an avid backyard chicken keeper.
Trevor Seward, PA-C
Orthopedics
About Mr. Seward
Trevor Seward, PA, graduated from Franklin Pierce’s Physician Assistant program in 2021. Prior to beginning graduate school, he worked as an Athletic Trainer locally providing coverage for a variety of athletes in games as well as rehabilitative care in outpatient Physical Therapy clinic.
Trevor enjoys treating and evaluating all types of musculoskeletal complaints and has a specific background and interest in athletics and athletic medicine.
In his spare time, Trevor spends most of his time skiing/snowboarding during the winter and mountain biking in the summer. He enjoys watching basketball, soccer, and football as well as getting out for runs or hikes with his dog.
Medical Education: Physician Assistant: Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, NH
Tracy E Tyson, MD
Pediatrics
About Dr. Tyson
Dr. Tracy Tyson most recently worked as a general pediatrician in a private practice in Fleming Island, Florda where she cared for patients of all ages - newborn to age 21. In her career, she has worked in diverse areas of pediatric practice including intensive care, and urgent/emergency care. She began her practice out of a desire to help children and families during times of need and be a part of a community that puts children first. Dr. Tyson said she joined NMC because of the organization’s professionalism and the warm welcome she received from the medical staff, helping ease the transition to a new community. In her free time, she spends time reading, hiking, skiing, and spending time with my family. She also enjoys indoor cycling and yoga. She joins her husband, Dr. Robert Tyson at Northwestern Pediatrics. The couple have been married more than 20 years and have two children.
Kelsey H. Sheahan, MD
Endocrinology
Megan M Sisbarro, PA-C
Orthopaedics
Maurice A Paquette, II, PA-C
Emergency Medicine Urgent Care
About Mr. Paquette
Moe Paquette, PA-C comes to NMC after completing his residency in Emergency Medicine at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. After working in a large academic facility for three years, Moe wanted to get back to the community and area he grew up in. Moe enjoys the sense of family and community that NMC offers, and he looks forward to being a part of this community. In his spare time, Moe enjoys playing and listening to music, playing sports, and is a huge soccer fan.
Dr. Hegerty enjoys getting to know patients and gaining a better understanding of the various contributors to their spectrum of cardiovascular disease. She partners with patients to develop a care plan that is understandable, attainable and offers maximum benefit to their long-term health.
Oliver R. Barkley, PA-C
Urgent Care Emergency Medicine
Anthony B. Fazzone, MD
Anesthesia
Nicholas Robert Kovacs, MD
Emergency Medicine
Randon Charles Johnson, MD
Orthopedics
Our People
2021 Board Officers
Jake Holzscheiter
President
About Jake Holzscheiter
Jake Holzscheiter, of Westford, Mr. Holzscheiter is the President CEO of A.N. Deringer, Inc.
John Casavant
Vice President
About John Casavant
John Casavant, of St. Albans. Mr. Casavant is a Risk Management and Insurance professional with NFP.
Dawn Bugbee
Treasurer
About Dawn Bugbee
Dawn Bugbee, of South Hero. Ms. Bugbee is the retired Chief Financial Officer of Green Mountain Power.
Lowrey Sullivan, MD
President of the Medical Staff
About Lowrey Sullivan, MD
Lowrey Sullivan, MD, of St. Albans. Dr. Sullivan is a practicing physician at Northwestern Obstetrics & Gynecology. He served as Chief Medical Officer from 2011 to 2018 and as the Chief Medical and Quality Officer from 2017-2019.
Past Presidents
Leon Berthiaume, of Swanton. Mr. Berthiaume is the CEO of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery.
2021 Board Members
Leon Berthiaume
Erin Creley (completing Dr. Babb’s 2nd term)
Nick Hadden
Dawn Bugbee
Karyn Rocheleau
Lowrey Sullivan, MD
Barbara Toof
Coleen Kohaut
Matt Habedank
2021 Medical Executive Committee
Lowrey Sullivan, MD, President of the Medical Staff
Donny Khela, MD, Vice President
Anna Royer, MD, Secretary
Katie Montagne, MD, Immediate Past President
Louis Dandurand, MD, Chief of Emergency Service
Katie Montagne, MD, Chief of Surgical Service
Judy Fingergut, MD, Chief of Outpatient Medicine Service
Deanne Haag, MD, Chief of Pediatric Service
Haitham Nsour, MD
Heather Shenk, MD
Andrew Myrtue, MD
John Minadeo, MD, CMO/CQO (Ex Officio)
2021 Leadership Team
Dr. Dean French, Chief Executive Officer
Deanna Orfanidis, RN, Chief Nursing Officer
John Minadeo, MD, Chief Medical Quality Officer
Stephanie Breault, Chief Financial Officer
Robyn Alvis, Chief Operating Officer - NMG
Tom Conley, Vice President, Human Resources & Organizational Development
Jonathan Billings, Vice President, Community Relations
Board of Incorporators
The NMC Incorporators is a group of up to 128 local residents from throughout northwestern Vermont who serve as a formal connection between the hospital and the community we serve. The Incorporators meet twice a year with primary functions being electing the Board of Directors, approving the corporate bylaws, and acting as ambassadors and advocates.
Judy Ashley
Lorne Babb, M.D.
Mary Bates
Reginald Beliveau
Leon and Anne Berthiaume
Robert Bessette
George Bilodeau
Steven Broer, Psy,D
Gregory Brophey
Jacqueline Brosseau-Cyr
Lawrence Bruce
Dawn Bugbee
John Casavant
Jane Catton
Sandra Chagnon
Paul Clark
Donald Collins
Vaughn Comeau
Phillip Condon
Coleen Condon-Kohaut
Michael Corrigan, M.D.
Erin Creley
Karl Cunningham
David and Erica Debellis
Dustin Degree
Christopher Dermody
Lynn Desautels
Richard Dickinson,
Grace Dickinson-Branon, D.M.D.
Catherine Dimitruk
Hibbard Doe
Jeffrey Eaton
John Edwards
Nancy Fiske
Elaina Fontes
Bradley Gabree
Andrea Gagner
Steven Gagner
Thomas Gallagher
Elizabeth Gamache
Peter Garceau
Valdemar and Bridget Garibay
Thomas Gates
Clement Gervais
Martita Giard
Uwe Goehlert M.D.
Nilda Gonnella-French
Leon Graves
Monica Greene
William Greenwood
Molly Grismore, RN
Matthew Habedank
Nicholas Hadden, Esq.
Joe Halko
Christina Hamel
John and Lisa Hango
Rett Heald
Hector Hill
Jacob Holzscheiter
Jacqui Hood
Bridget Howrigan Rivet
Hayden Janes
Celeste Kane-Stebbins
Kathleen Keenan
Ned Kirsch
Dana Kittell
Molly Lambert
Kathy Lavoie
Michelle Lawrence
Chelsey Lawyer
Jeffrey Levesque
Betsy Liley
Sally Lindberg
Danielle Lindley-Mitchell
Deborah Loughlin
Adam Luneau
David Mahoney
James Manahan II
Kevin Manahan
JoAnn Manahan
Mike McCarthy
Michael R. McCarthy
Janet and Michael McCarthy
Ralph McNall
John Minadeo, M.D.
Sheri Moore
Dr. Joseph and Judy Nasca
William Nihan
William O'Connor
Corey Parent
Pamela Parsons
Steve Payne, M.D.
Peter Perley
Keith and Sylvia Ploof
Susie Posner Jones
Kristin Prior
William Roberts
Donna Roby
Karyn Rocheleau
Chip Sawyer
Kevin and Karen Scheffler
Marietta Scholten, M.D.
John Schreindorfer
Sherry Scott
Kristina Senna
Albert and Sally Severy
Heather Skilling, V.M.D
Tami St. Marie
Stephen Stata
Molly Stata Comeau
Kathy Tabor
Patrick Talcott
Barb Toof
Thomas Traber
Paula Tremblay
Edward J. Tyler, III
Lynn Vallee
Howard Van Benthuysen
Daniel Vanslette
Albin Voegele
James Walsh
Homer Wetherby
Penny Wright
Frank and Judy Zsoldos
2021 Management Team
Robyn Alvis
Devin Bachelder
Joel Banazek
Jonathan Billings
David Blin
Dennis Boucher
Stephanie Breault
Gregory Brophey, MD
Kelly Campbell
Carrie Consentino
Kristy Cushing
Judy Fingergut, MD
Jessica Frost
Chris Giroux
Jennifer Howrigan
Katharine Laddison
JoAnn Manahan
Kate Merchant
John Minadeo, MD
Don Muller
Anneke Merritt
Tyson Moulton
Christopher Niles
Haitham Nsour, MD
Jamie Pinkham
Alisha Sawyer
Denise Smith
Megan Smith
Karen Staniels
Thomas Suppan
Lowrey Sullivan, MD
MD Jill Torrey
Amanda Wilson
Katherine Winchester
Deirdre Young
Gifts from Our Community: Annual Donors
Individuals
Ronald Anstey
Judy Ashley
Brian Barratt
Fran Beauchemin
Gregory & Kathy Beaudoin
Joseph & Barbara Beauregard, MD
Michael and Leslie Berkowitz
Jill Berry Bowen
Leon Berthiaume
Carl and Betty Bessette
Joyce Bessette
Amy Biggie-Ward
Grace Billings
Jonathan & Marilyn Billings
George Bilodeau
David Blin
William Bonnie
John Bostwick
Mary Bostwick
Rachel Boudreau
Stacey Boudreau
Joseph Bouffard
Raymond Bourbeau
Kiersten Bourgeois
Steve Bourgeois
Carolyn Branagan
Adam Branon
Stephanie Breault
Gregory Brophey
Gregory and Dale Brown
Lawrence Bruce
Dawn Bugbee
Caryn Burleson
Ricky & Marie Burleson
Joan Burnor
Patricia Burton
Robert Caggige
Kathryn Cain
Jane Catton
Leo Chaplin
John Chesarek
Chip Chiappinelli
Alyson Chouinard
Brian Clukey
Lori Columb
Tom Conley
Kelly Connolly
Louise Counos
Betty Courville
Richard Cowperthwait
Robert & Ruth Cronin
Jenn & Jay Cummings
Amy Davenport
Donald Davison
David & Erica Debellis
James Dickmann
Natalie B Dishaw
Annette Dragoon
Faith DuBois
Kimberly Duffel
Joseph Durfee
Margaret Eddy
John Edwards
Bonnie Evans
Richard Ewins
Robert Farrar
Joyce Fitzgerald
Jesse Fleming
Lynne & Al Fletcher
Stephania Fregeau
Dean French
Peter Garceau
Valdemar & Bridget Garibay
Wallace & Natalie Good
Robert Goulette
Laura Gouthreau
Leon Graves
Christopher Grimes
Richard Hakey
Warren Hamm
Stanley Hancox
John and Lisa Hango
Crissey Harrington
Edith Hawksworth
Taylor Higgs
Courtney Hodet
Peter Hofstetter
Jacqui Hood
Stephen Howe
Bridget Howrigan Rivet
Eleanor Hurlbut
Katharine Hutchinson
Alton & Joanne James
John Johnson
John Johnson
David Juaire
Dulcie Juenger
Kathleen Keenan
Patricia Kennedy
Linda Kirker
Ted Kissane
David Knightes
Molly Lambert
Paul Langelier
Erin LaRocque
Laura Laurie
Michelle Lawrence
Deeanna Lefluer
Maurice L'Esperance
John Livingston
Steven & Linda Lothian
Karen Luneau
Deb Lynch
Lise Macdonald
Elaine Magnan
John Manahan
Kevin Manahan
Linda Martell
Haskell Mayo
Kayla Mayo
Kayla Mayo
Janet & Michael McCarthy
Carol McKinney
Jackie McNall
Timothy McSweeney
John Minadeo
Tina Mueller
Jane Murray
Gerald Myers
John Newton
Paul Newton
Michael & Justina Norton
Susan Palmer
Joseph Pare
Mike Patenaude
Sally Payze
Dorothy Perkins
Loretta Pigeon
Jamie Pinkham
Joan Plaisted
Marc Poissant
Paul Poquette
David Powell
Sharon Provost
Doris Raleigh
Lester Ravlin
Hubert Remillard
Susan Roberts
Marguerite Robtoy
Karyn Rocheleau
Louise Rocheleau
Ellen & Michael Rose
Carl Rosenquist
Gary & Cindy Rutkowski
Toby Sadkin
J Michael Schnell
John Schreindorfer
Sherry Scott
David Simcoe
James Smith
Steven Sobel
Frank Spendley
Steven St. Marie
Adam Thompson
Bruce & Kathleen Thompson
Dan Thompson
Barb Toof
Steve Vittum
Albin Voegele
Matthew Walker
Joseph & Joy Walsh
Lisa Anne Weaver
Marie Anne West
Homer Wetherby
David Williams
David Wood
Mary Woodhouse
Terry Wright
H. Taylor Yates
Robert Zelazo
Frank & Judy Zsoldos
Businesses & Organizations
A.N. Deringer, Inc.
AG Venture Financial Services
Bokan
Coca-Cola Northeast
Community National Bank
Company Name
Dickinson & Branon Dental Care
E4H - MorrisSwitzer - Environments for Health
Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Kevin Smith's Sports Connection
Maple Capital Management
Mary Ellen Jolley Revocable Trust
MediCopy Services
Mollie Abraham Declaration of Trust
MRC Mega Realty Center
Open Approach
Race Registration Online LLC
Rotary Club of St. Albans
St. Albans Police Department
Suncrest Health Care Communities
Tenth Crow Creative
The Richards Group
Trainer's Auto
Union Bank
Usherwood Office Technology
Vermont Mothers, Inc.
Vermont Precision Tools, Inc.
In Memory Of
Homer Wetherby
Leon Berthiaume
Sherry Scott
George Bilodeau
David Wood
In Memory of Betty Casavant
AG Venture Financial Services
Lara Alemy
Joseph and Barbara Beauregard, MD
Jill Berry Bowen
Carl and Betty Bessette
Joyce Bessette
Mary Bostwick
Rachel Boudreau
Joseph Bouffard
Raymond Bourbeau
Carolyn Branagan
Lawrence Bruce
Ricky & Marie Burleson
Louise Counos
Richard Cowperthwait
Jenn and Jay Cummings
Donald Davison
David and Erica Debellis
Joseph Durfee
Margaret Eddy
John Edwards
Robert Goulette
Warren Hamm
Edith Hawksworth
Bridget Howrigan Rivet
Alton and Joanne James
Kathleen Keenan
Kevin Smith's Sports Connection
Paul Langelier
Maurice L'Esperance
Karen Luneau
Kevin Manahan
John Manahan Sr.
Mary Ellen Jolley Revocable Trust
Timothy McSweeney
Jane Murray
Michael & Justina Norton
Mike Patenaude
Sally Payze
Loretta Pigeon
Marc Poissant
David Powell
Karyn Rocheleau
Ellen and Michael Rose
John Schreindorfer
Bruce and Kathleen Thompson
Trainer's Auto
Vermont Mothers, Inc.
Joseph and Joy Walsh
Terry Wright
Steve Vittum
Fran Beauchemin
Gregory and Kathy Beaudoin
In Memory of Meridan Brooks
Amy Biggie-Ward
Carol McKinney
Laura Laurie
Kathryn Cain
Robert Farrar
Dulcie Juenger
Lise Macdonald
Joseph Pare
Michael and Leslie Berkowitz
Mollie Abraham Declaration of Trust
Albin Voegele
Frank Spendley
Susan Palmer
Kiersten Bourgeois
Jonathan & Marilyn Billings
Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation
Assisting All Of Our Patients
Northwestern Medical Center complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Northwestern Medical Center does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
Northwestern Medical Center:
- Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
- Qualified sign language interpreters
- Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
- Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
- Qualified interpreters
- Information written in other languages
If you need these services, contact: Jamie Pinkham
If you believe that Northwestern Medical Center has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with:
Northwestern Medical Center
133 Fairfield Street
St. Albans, Vermont 05478
802-524-5911, TTY 800-253-0191
You can file a grievance in person or by mail, or email.
If you need help filing a grievance, Jamie Pinkham is available to help you.
You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, or by mail or phone at:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)
Complaint forms are available Here
