Hospital heads, Peter Welch discuss rural health care challenges
VTDigger
ST. JOHNSBURY — The CEOs of two northern Vermont hospitals spoke soberly with U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and federal and state administrators Friday morning about their concerns for the future at a roundtable discussion that also celebrated the awards of two long-term, low-interest federal loans.
Shawn Tester, of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury, and Joe Woodin, of Copley Hospital in Morrisville, shared their sense that ongoing economic and social stressors will make coming years the most difficult yet faced by their institutions.
“We got through the pandemic and it was incredibly challenging,” said Tester, lauding his staff’s creativity in responding to the threat of Covid-19. “I think the next five years are going to be much more challenging of an environment than the last three years.”