What You Need to Know About This Year’s Vaccines

Questions for our infectious disease expert about flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

COVID-19 cases are already on the rise in many places across our area, with masking advised in some hospitals and now mandatory at others. As for flu, “It seems like it'll probably be a pretty ‘normal’ flu season this year — not too early and not too severe,” says Jessie Leyse, MD, MPH, an infectious disease, internal medicine and pediatric physician at Central Vermont Medical Center.  The key to not getting sick with either is vaccination. It&rs [...]

Don't Delay Care

Don’t Delay, Get Screened Today The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things in our lives but not the importance of regular cancer screening. Screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers can dramatically improve treatment outcomes and in some cases, prevent the cancers from occurring in the first place. According to the National Cancer Institute, when detected at its earliest stages and confined to the primary site, the 5 year survival rate for: Breast [...]

Living the Lab Life During a Pandemic

Since the pandemic arrived in our region in March 2020, one of the questions that has dominated just about every aspect of our daily lives is: “Am I positive or negative for COVID-19?” The answer to that question can be life changing for our patients, our people and our community as a whole. The CVPH Laboratory team dedicates itself to providing answers to that question and a long list of others 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Lab Manager for Microbiology and Qu [...]

Taking Advantage of Telehealth

Imagine being able to get out of bed, do your normal morning routine, and then head to your doctor appointment – without having to leave home. There’s no need to find a babysitter for the kids, spend money on gas or lose more time from work. That’s what thousands of people have experienced thanks to CVPH’s telehealth services. The program, which has already been operational for years, was expanded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an additional option to help pat [...]

Chelsey Bushey Understands that Great Patient Care Comes In Many Forms

Chelsey makes a difference every day.

Cancer Peer Educator Chelsey Bushey knows that there are truly many ways to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve. She’s been part of the CVPH team for a little over 5 years working first as a Transporter and later, as a Clinical Assistant. Both positions allowed her to share her compassion and kindness and gave her the opportunity to assist patients when they needed it most.  “I love patient care – helping people,” Chelsey said. So t [...]

Finding "The Sweet Spot" In Healthy Eating

New Years resolution tips on reducing sugar in your diet

For many, the thrill of a New Year’s resolution can become a bit overwhelming after a few weeks. Trying to adjust one’s lifestyle can also be very stressful and lead to potential failure, but there are steps people can make to improve their eating habits by simply reducing the amount of added sugars in their daily diets. “Added sugars contribute to increased calories in the diet, but added sugars can also contribute to severe chronic conditions, such as diabetes, fatty li [...]

The Truth About Colonoscopies

Why you need to stop ignoring the facts and get tested

Face it – no one really looks forward to getting a colonoscopy.  The procedure is often viewed as “embarrassing” or “uncomfortable.” As a result, many of us put off getting tested.  But the reality is no one can afford to make excuses or ignore the facts. Learn why you need to stop stalling and get screened for colon cancer. You’re at risk if you’re over 50 Getting a colonoscopy is extremely important for people over the age of 50, or for [...]

Testing Options for Colon Cancer

Types of colon screening procedures you should know about

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers, and one of the easiest to treat when detected early.  According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence rate for colorectal cancer has dropped over the last 20 years, due in large part to colon screenings. That’s why regular screenings are so important. While most of us have heard of colonoscopies there are multiple types of colon screenings. Some involve a trip to the doctor or an outpatient care center, while others can be pur [...]