SVHC20-21reportpagesJuly27 - Flipbook - Page 23
As the COVID-19 pandemic raged on and new variants emerged, SVMC sought
ways to provide testing and vaccines to the maximum number of community
members. In a welcome twist of good fortune, the gymnasium on the newly acquired
Southern Vermont College campus proved to be an ideal venue for mass vaccine
administration and testing.
The spacious facility allowed for social distancing and seven vaccination stations. At its
peak, the site was open seven days a week and staffed by a combination of clinical staff
and employees from literally every department of the hospital.
“It was no small feat to build an operation of this scale,” says Gail Balch, RN, and
Director of IT, Clinical Informatics. “It required integrating and managing multiple
systems to handle scheduling, documenting administration, managing inventory, and
tracking all those efforts. While the task was daunting at times, it was heartening to see
so many people, from 100-year-old community members to small children, flowing
into the COVID Resource Center (CRC) to protect themselves and the community.
Even now, the center continues to be a shining example of ingenuity, teamwork, and
excellence in caring.”
RESPONDING TO COVID
Rising to the challenge
Addressing disparity in COVID prevention
When Patricia Johnson, RN, learned that Vermonters of color were disproportionately contracting COVID
and dying at rates three to four times higher than Caucasian people, she volunteered to be among the first
providers at SVMC to be vaccinated. In addition, she started a Facebook group to share information in a way
that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Vermonters could relate. The goal of the group is to
increase awareness, promote education, and facilitate outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health
equity in Vermont. Working with the Rutland Area NAACP and the Vermont Department of Health, Johnson
helped organize four Bennington-based vaccine clinics for the BIPOC community in the spring of 2021.
SOUTHWESTERN VERMONT HEALTH CARE ANNUAL REPORT 2021 | 21