January 7, 2022
Community Update #22
Dear Community Member,
With the increase in positivity of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 throughout our state and our community, as well as staffing challenges all hospitals in Vermont are experiencing, we have taken the following steps to assure the continuation of essential hospital services and the safety of our patients and staff.
Effective, Monday, January 10, the following operational changes will take effect:
- Primary Care Practices
- Transition new patient appointments and other applicable appointments to telehealth
- All in-person visits will be seen at Brattleboro Internal Medicine and Putney Family Health
- Wellness visits will be postponed for at least four weeks
- Surgical Services
- Surgical volume will be reduced to one operating room for scheduled procedures
- Emergency and urgent surgeries will continue to be performed
- Surgical patients are currently being contacted by the practices and are being rescheduled
-
Rehab Services (580 Canal Street, Brattleboro)
- Reducing capacity by 50% to ensure appropriate social distancing
- Offering telehealth visits to patients
- In-person appointments only for patients in greatest need
- Cardiac Rehab
- Suspending all in-person services
- Education segments offered via Zoom
- Vaccine, Booster, and Testing Clinics
- Beginning Tuesday, January 11, all Vaccine Clinics will be relocated to BMH through the Richards Building Entrance. Vaccines will no longer take place at 53 Fairview Street.
- We are increasing our testing appointment schedules to address the greater need at this time. The Testing Clinic remains at 417 Canal Street, Brattleboro.
- You can schedule your testing and vaccine appointments by going to the VT Department of Health website - Login (force.com) or call 855-722-7878.
- Covid-19 vaccines and boosters represent the most effective strategy for protecting yourself and avoiding hospitalization should a breakthrough infection occur. If you’ve already been vaccinated and boosted, your odds of experiencing severe illness and/or medical complications from Covid-19 are drastically reduced. If you haven’t done so yet, I urge you to take advantage of these free, safe, and potentially lifesaving shots.
Our energy and focus remains on assuring the health and safety of our staff, patients, and community. Only together will we be able to weather this latest Covid-19 surge and enjoy this new year!
