PLATTSBURGH — Improving access to quality health care close to home by recruiting and supporting the region’s health care workforce was the primary focus of a Community Forum sponsored by the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital.
Nearly 150 people attended the event hosted by Alice Hyde Medical Center and CVPH President Michelle LeBeau and held recently in the Butcher Block Adirondack Room.
In his opening comments, University of Vermont Health Network President and CEO Sunny Eappen, MD affirmed that the health system remains committed to providing the best possible care to the communities it serves in northern New York and Vermont. “The way we’ll do that is by integrating in every way possible. This is about more than just working together, across departments, hospitals and state lines – though that’s a big part of it. Success will require a change in mindset. So that every patient across the UVM Health Network is our patient and every challenge is our challenge – and every opportunity is our opportunity,” Eappen said.
Using workforce development as an example of that integration, he said, “There’s a nationwide shortage of just about every kind of health care worker you can think of, but we’re working together to keep our frontline workforce strong.”
The health system’s Center for Workforce Development coordinates efforts to train community members and members of the current workforce for key, in-demand and difficult to recruit positions including licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurses (RN), respiratory therapists (RT), surgical technicians and medical lab technicians.
“We’ve also taken a focused, collaborative approach to recruit more providers and staff. We’re making progress, and I’ll use provider recruitment as an example: Our health system has recruited 90 physicians, and 57 advanced practice providers, with a scheduled start date this fiscal year. That’s already a 26% increase in hiring over last year. There are a lot of factors that go into this, but one of the things that is key is having recruiters who specialize in specific, system-wide clinical departments. They focus on recruiting providers for those departments across northern New York and Vermont,” Eappen said.
A question and answer session followed Eappen’s remarks covering a wide range of topics including the impact the health system has had on health care in the North Country, challenges in the recruitment and retention of physicians and access to services in Plattsburgh.
CVPH Chief Medical Officer Lisa Mark, MD and Vice President of Medical Group Network Practices Amy Putnam offered an update on physician recruitment, welcoming six new providers to northern New York and discussing additional providers scheduled to begin practice in next few months. New to the North Country and accepting patients are Amr Essa, MD and Amine Nasri, MD of CVPH Cardiology, Joseph Pierson, MD and Casey Barcomb, PA of CVPH Dermatology, Barbara Crotty, AuD, of CVPH ENT and Anusha Devarajan, MD of CVPH Pulmonary.
Dr. Mark said the warm welcome extended to new providers by the medical staff and the entire community has been instrumental in these successful recruitment efforts.
“We’ve also been able to be creative to meet their specific needs and interests. So, for example, if they are interested in academics or seeing patients in Malone, we’ve worked to accommodate that,” Mark said.
Sharing that 60% of the CVPH Family Medicine Residency graduates have opted to stay in the region to practice medicine, Residency Faculty Maegan Cabrera, MD detailed the factors that contribute to that success.
“This community has welcomed our residents with open arms and our physicians are committed to providing a great learning experience for our residents,” Cabrera said.
Many of the residents also have an expressed interest in practice in rural communities.
Director of Nursing Excellence and Program Development Stephanie Drown and Emergency Department APP Manager Maurice Paquette, PA discussed the success of CVPH’s registered nurse and advanced practice provider Transition of Practice programs.
“I am proud to share that we offer our newly graduated registered nurses an accredited residency program. We have been accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center since 2018, becoming the 59th accredited program in the country and only the second in New York State above New York City,” Drown said.
The residency includes clinical and unit specific orientations, professional development opportunities and partnership with an experienced RN who serves as a preceptor. “Our goal is to support graduate nurses as they transition from school to bedside practice,” she said.
Advanced practice providers (APPs) are receiving similar support in the CVPH Emergency Department (ED) according to Paquette who spearheads the program designed specifically for physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
“We offer the support they need to be successful here including proctoring and didactic sessions and dedicated time in our simulation lab,” Paquette said.
He explained the ED is already seeing positive results and pointed to a nearly full complement of APPs staffing the department.
“They are joining us and staying.”
The ED APP Transition of Practice Program will seek national accreditation in the spring of 2026.