The University of Vermont Health Network UVMHN has announced significant service cuts, including the cessation of kidney transplants, closure of dialysis clinics in multiple towns, and a reduction in overnight admissions and non-emergency transfers at its Burlington hospital.
These cuts are described as necessary to comply with state health care regulations and to address a budget shortfall.
The network’s president, Dr. Stephen Leffler, explained that these reductions target areas where alternative care options exist, such as transplant services which could be accessed at Dartmouth.
However, the state’s health care regulator, the Green Mountain Care Board, disputes the network’s justification, stating that they were not consulted on the cuts and had not approved them. Board chair Owen Foster noted that although UVMHN had hinted at potential reductions due to budgetary issues, the specific changes were only communicated the evening before the announcement.
Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals President Deb Snell criticized the hospital’s actions, claiming that the cuts were not mandated by the regulator and were instead a result of poor financial management. The Green Mountain Care Board, which oversees hospital budgets, emphasized the need for hospitals like UVM to control cost growth to make health care more affordable in the state.
The UVMHN will submit a revised budget to the Green Mountain Care Board, reflecting these cuts, though no dates for implementation have been set.