UVM Health - Porter Medical Center, 115 Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT (2026)

03/15/2026

Health equity isn’t just a concept — it shows up in homes, hospitals, classrooms and communities.

In this episode of Living Healthy Together, we explore what health equity means in practice and hear voices from organizers, clinicians, artists and community members connected to the Health Equity Summit.

🎧 Listen to the podcast
~ Link in the comments ~

Hear from Summit organizers Taylor Small and Hajar Anvar, along with artist Ferene Paris, advocate Elle Semsey and pediatrician Dr. Jill Rinehart.

The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont | UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences

03/10/2026

Call for Proposals | Due April 10
Have an idea, project or experience that could help advance health equity?

The 5th annual Health Equity Summit is powered by people willing to share their work, insights and vision for change.

“I had never written an abstract before — and yes, it felt a little scary. But it was completely doable. My poster sparked conversations I never would have had otherwise. Now I’m a volunteer for this year’s Summit. Who would have thought?”

~Alison Segar | 2025 Presenter
Vermont Language Justice Project

👉 Submit your proposal by April 10
🔗 Learn more | Link in the comments

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📅 Save the Date
Health Equity Summit 2026
September 24–25
UVM Davis Center | Burlington, VT + Virtual

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Presented by:
• The University of Vermont Health Network
• The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont
• UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences

03/10/2026

What happens when long-standing guidelines don’t match the needs of the patients in front of you?

It’s a question orthopedic surgeon Michael Blankstein, MD, has been exploring at UVM Medical Center.

For years, joint replacement was often delayed for patients with a BMI over 40. But Dr. Blankstein began to question whether a rigid cutoff was keeping patients with debilitating pain from getting any relief.

His research shows that while risk increases modestly, it may not justify an absolute barrier, particularly when other modifiable risk factors can be addressed through a team-based approach.

Today, the Hip and Knee Surgery Program brings together surgeons, nurses, health coaches and specialists to focus on shared decision-making and long-term health, not a single number.

The result? More patients moving without pain—and a broader conversation about equitable, compassionate surgical care.

Read the full story in the link in our comments.

03/10/2026

Artificial intelligence is beginning to support clinicians in new ways - from documenting visits to analyzing medical images.

In this episode of Living Healthy Together, UVM Health physicians discuss how AI is being tested, vetted and used across Vermont and northern New York.

🎧 Listen to the podcast
~ Link in the comments ~

Featuring:
~Dr. Justin Stinnett-Donnelly
~Dr. Tim Lahey
~Dr. Dan Peters
~Dr. Alicia Jacobs

03/09/2026

Margaret has called Addison County home for nearly 30 years.

Today, she receives care in Porter’s infusion center — where recent improvements have added comfort and privacy for patients undergoing treatment.

“The staff greet me by name and take the time to explain each step,” she shared. “It makes a stressful process far more manageable.”

Thanks to the generosity of donors, thoughtful updates — including new treatment chairs and enhancements to the space — are helping improve the experience for patients like Margaret.

We’re grateful for the community support that makes even these meaningful steps forward possible. 💚

03/07/2026

⛺ Where Time Stops ⛺
“Camping is where I feel most like myself.” Meet Taylor Clark, a radiology technologist at University of Vermont Health – Elizabethtown Community Hospital.
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Camping has always been a part of my life. I grew up doing it with my family, and now my sisters and I go together and bring our kids. It’s something I’ve always loved, and now I get to pass that love on to my one-year-old son.

We started camping when he was a newborn. It’s more hectic now — he runs all over the place and gets into everything — but he’s happiest outside. I love that. I love seeing him grow up with the same experiences I had, surrounded by cousins, nature and no real schedule. It’s about the time we spend together.

For me, camping is a reset. We plan our trips in the winter and look forward to them all year. It’s how we disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other. Time doesn’t exist out there. We ride bikes, walk trails, play co****le and sit around the fire. We all have campers, but we’re rarely inside them. We’re outside together.

One of my favorite memories was from a trip this past year. We waited until it got dark, put glow sticks on us to look like skeletons and walked around the campground. Other campers were excited to see us. When we got back, we sat around the fire and told stories. It felt like childhood again. Everything slowed down, and the world stopped for a minute.

We take turns cooking, and I always end up making fried bread dough — something my husband’s grandmother used to do. It’s become a tradition. My husband even brings a smoker and makes prime rib. We don’t go hungry.

Camping is where I feel most like myself. It’s where I can breathe, laugh and just be with the people I love. I hope my son grows up loving it as much as I do.
~~~
The Mosaic Project is a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health. These are your coworkers, caregivers, neighbors, family members, friends – each with unique life experiences that are part of the vibrant mosaic of who we are.

03/06/2026

♻️ Rethinking Care, Reducing Waste ♻️
Inhaler propellants can have a significant climate impact, and many inhalers are made to last a full month - even when only a few doses are needed in short-term care.

When that happens, much of the device - including the propellant that delivers the medication - can go unused. In certain inhalers, that propellant has a high impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

That’s why our Pharmacy and Respiratory Therapy teams came together to take a closer look at inhaler packaging and delivery options.

In the first phase of implementation, these changes have reduced emissions by approximately 10 metric tons, while maintaining patient care and safety.

Special thanks to Jeffrey Endicott, Emily Parent and Bradley Holcomb for helping lead this work.

03/05/2026

Important reminder from our colleagues at the UVM Cancer Center: colorectal cancer screening now starts at age 45.

03/04/2026

Volunteers Across Porter | Porter’s volunteers are often the first friendly faces people see — and the steady support behind the scenes.

Norm Beerman (Volunteer since 2018) and Ted Janeway (Volunteer since 2017) are two of the more than 100 volunteers who give their time in support of patients, families and staff at Porter.

Volunteers serve in both clinical and operational areas, offering a welcoming presence, assisting care teams and helping daily operations run smoothly. Their commitment reflects the strong connection between Porter and the community we serve.

Interested in learning more about volunteering at Porter?
Find more information at the link in the comments.

03/01/2026

Health care is evolving - and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) are helping lead that change.

Across Vermont and northern New York, APPs are expanding access to care, strengthening teams and mentoring the next generation of clinicians.

In this episode of Living Healthy Together, hear directly from APP leaders and clinicians about the impact they’re making across our region.

🎧 Listen to the podcast
~ Link in the comments ~

02/28/2026

🏠 Finding Home Again 🏠
“Vermont is now my home. I love it here and am grateful.” Meet Aida Kamberovic, an LNA at Woodridge Rehabilitation & Nursing.
~~~
The war began when I was 27 years old. It changed everything and took everything from me and my family.

After the Soviet Union collapsed, Yugoslavia unraveled. One day, armed Serbian men came to our town, Bosanski Šamac in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They forced us from our homes and held us prisoner for months, using us as human shields. If you were a Muslim man of a certain age, they would most likely kill you if you didn’t join them. Then they let them take what wasn’t theirs. Many horrible, horrible things happened then. Many men from our town took up a gun and joined them. To this day, I cannot forgive that.

Eventually, we were freed in a prisoner exchange — us for captured Serbian soldiers — and we fled to Croatia with nothing. UNICEF gave us clothes, food and shelter. We couldn’t go back to our town. As Muslims, we were not welcome there.

That’s how I came to Vermont.

Years later, my parents and sister went back. Somehow, my father held on to our family's home, but I lost the apartment I owned. I was too scared to return. When my mother passed away last year, my father begged me to go back home with him. He’s 91 now, and I thought this might be my last chance. So, after more than 30 years, I went home.

But it wasn’t home anymore. I saw some people I knew as a child, but I knew what they did and didn’t look at them or say hello. And they didn’t look at me. We all knew what had happened. I also saw old friends, and that warmed my heart. My father walked the town and so did I. This year we are going back because it is my father wishes it. I still have a family there and am welcome to come back. But if not for my family going with me, I don’t think I could be brave enough to return again.

Vermont is now my home. I love it here and am grateful.
~~~
The Mosaic Project is a collection of short stories about the people of University of Vermont Health. These are your coworkers, caregivers, neighbors, family members, friends – each with unique life experiences that are part of the vibrant mosaic of who we are.

02/26/2026

⏲️ “They told me they could see me the next day.”

For Middlebury teacher Keele Kozak waiting for a routine mammogram quickly turned into worrying when she learned Porter Medical Center was facing a surge in demand and she was facing a long wait for an appointment.

Then came a simple question from a Porter scheduler that changed everything:

Are you willing to drive to Elizabethtown or Ticonderoga?

That cross-lake option got her screened right away, and it’s helping many other patients cut long wait times for mammograms.

👉 Click on the link in the comments to read Kozak’s story and how this collaboration is getting people answers faster.

UVM Health - Porter Medical Center

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