Community Health
Gifford Medical Center has made improving community health its mission by assuring access to affordable and high-quality health care. Gifford is accomplishing that mission and goal through clinics, support groups, ongoing programs, one-time events, financial assistance and more. Many of the offerings address disease prevention and management, others benefit local students, some support other area non-profit groups. Gifford employees give hundreds of hours each year to the communities the hospital serves. The hospital contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to those communities and their members. The following programs are provided through the Community Health department:
Adopt-A-Grandparent
Students from Randolph Technical Career Center visit Menig Extended Care Facility residents once monthly. The visits are advantageous for the senior residents, but also for the high-school students who enter a relationship with a different generation.
American Cancer Society Daffodil Days
Gifford employees purchase daffodil bunches each spring to benefit the American Cancer Society. Gifford's volunteer coordinator collects orders and organizes delivery.
Art Gallery
Gifford's Art Gallery, just off the main lobby, offers free space for local artist exhibits. The art show is free for patients, visitors and the public alike. The displays rotate about every six weeks and are announced in local and regional arts listings.
Auxiliary
The Auxiliary is an independent organization providing immeasurable financial service to Gifford and public service largely through the Thrift Shop on South Main Street in Randolph.
Backs in Action
A Gifford physical therapist and a dietitian periodically offer Backs in Action classes for people with or at risk for osteoporosis and back pain sufferers. The classes offer help with posture, balance, back protection and walking as well as osteoporosis information.
Barron Men's Screening Project
In 2004, Gifford received a generous, anonymous donation in memory of Joyce Rolfe Barron, a former Rochester resident. Working with the Barron family, GIfford began offering free heart disease, prostate cancer, colon cancer and skin cancer health screenings for older men in the communities we serve.
Bereavement Help
Bereavement packets are provided to patients staying in Gifford's Garden Room. The packets give information for last wishes and comfort in grief. Follow up mailing pieces are also sent out by the volunteer chaplaincy.
Bike Safety
The mission of this program is to provide helmets to children and adults at our cost as a safe riding initiative. Bike safety fairs are also held involving primarily elementary school children.
Birthing Classes
Gifford offers birthing classes to expectant mothers and their coaches. Please call (802) 728-2274 for more information on the latest offerings.
Breast Care
Through the Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund, Gifford increases awareness of the lifesaving benefits of early breast care detection. Since 2002, Gifford has reached out to more than 5,800 women with information about early detection by addressing senior centers, churches, workplaces and even prisons about good breast health.
Buy Local
Approximately nine area farmers are working with Gifford chefs to provide fresh, local produce in the hospital's kitchens. This costs Gifford 30 percent more, but supports the local community.
Cancer Support Group
For updated information about this support group,
please call Sandra Conrad at (802) 728-2270.
Children's Tours
Area teachers contact Gifford for tours of the hospital. School groups are led on tours to learn about all aspects of health care offered at Gifford. The tour ends with milk and cookies in the cafeteria.
Complementary Care
Both Gifford's massage therapist and acupuncturist spend time speaking at local venues about their pain management techniques.
Conference Rooms
Conference room space is available at GIfford by contacting (802) 728-2373.
Diabetes Education
Gifford has offered support for diabetes sufferers for more than 20 years with a team consisting of diabetes nurse educators, dietitians and pharmacists. A free support group meets monthly and an Education Expo is offered each November. Call (802) 728-7100.
Dialing for Health
Gifford employees periodically call patients to remind them to schedule annual physicals, Pap smears, mammograms or breast exams.
Emergency Medical Technician Training
Training is periodically offered at White River Valley Ambulance in Bethel. Discussion and slide show has centered around new stroke protocol.
Flu clinics
Prior to the winter flu season each year, Gifford holds flu clinics at its outlying health centers and the Randolph primary care office. Flu shot reminder cards are sent to high-risk patients.
Gear-Up
This committee promotes employee health and wellness primarily by encouraging exercise. In May 2006, an event called Make Tracks was held for employees and the community alike to encourage good health through walking.
Health Connections
Part of the Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured, Gifford Health Connections assists both the un- and underinsured with health referrals and helps with needed services, including assistance with state health insurance applications, accessing medications through a prescription voucher program, emergency dental needs and determining financial aid through various sources. Call 728-2323 for more information.
Healthier Living Workshops
These free workshops are designed with the State of Vermont are aimed at helping chronic disease sufferers manage their disease. Gifford's Diabetes Nurse Educator organizes these workshops and Gifford provides meeting space and advertising.
Infant CPR
Infant CPR is offered free for new mothers following or during pregnancy through the obstetrics/gynecological office.
Interfaith Caregivers
A non-profit organization helping seniors live independently, Interfaith Caregivers includes an injury prevention program aimed at evaluating homes for fall risks and then eliminating those risks. Also available is a buddy system involving volunteers bringing seniors to cultural events at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph. A second buddy system helps seniors with home gardens.
Interviewing Skills
Human Resources representatives visit Randolph Technical Career Center to discuss interviewing skills with business students to assist with entering the workplace.
Job Shadowing
The Robin's Nest Child Enrichment Center offers job shadowing to students from Randolph Technical Career Center. Students spend three days seeing the child-care center operate firsthand.
Lactation Support
Free lactation support for mothers who choose to breast feed is offered at Gifford. The support is offered to inpatients and outpatients.
Lifeline
Gifford Medical Center partners with the Randolph Rotary to provide this essential service that allows over one hundred of our community members live independently.
March of Dimes
A group of GIfford employees each year walks in support of the March of Dimes. This group has received a second place corporate team award for its fundraising efforts.
Mental Health
Gifford Medical Center works with both the Clara Martin Center and Otter Creek Associates to ensure residents in the hospital's service area have mental health care available.
Occupational Health
Free health care screenings and counseling has been provided to local businesses. Screenings include hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity risk assessment.
Parent to Parent of Vermont
A non-profit organization, Parent to Parent provides support to families with children suffering from chronic illness and disabilities. That support includes referrals to dentists who take kids with special needs, emergency child care and funding for families traveling to conferences.
Parenting Classes
A new parents group offers free information on infant growth and development, sleep counseling, lactation support, infant massage, exercise and more.
Prescription Education
A hospital pharmacist is available to visit older community members and talk about drug safety and answer the many questions seniors have about medications.
Reach Out and Read
Families visiting Gifford's primary care offices for well-child visits are given children's books to promote reading and education.
Sex Education
Gifford pediatrician Dr. Joseph Pelletier helps teach puberty/sex education to fifth and sixth grade boys at the local elementary school. He also speaks about development to the students, answering and discussing their questions.
Sports Medicine
The Sharon Health Center's sports medicine doctors are active in the sports community. Ask the Doctor seminars have been offered and medical coverage has been donated for events such as the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run.
Sudden Death Syndrome
Gifford's Medical Director and Pediatrician Dr. Louis DiNicola gives talks on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to family physicians and social workers statewide.
Tobacco Cessation
Trained personnel are available on an individual basis
or as part of a supportive group to assist people in their efforts to
stop smoking. You may qualify for free smoking cessation aids. Call
728-2118 to find out how we can help.
Woman to Woman
Gifford will pay for mammograms and clinical breast exams
for women who fall within specific income guidelines. This
fund is supported in part by the generosity of our community.