LUDLOW, Vt. — At its recent online meeting, the Ludlow Rotary Club heard remarks by Robert Adcock, new CEO of Springfield Hospital.
Adcock noted that the hospital was “facing tremendous challenges” following its recent bankruptcy problems combined with the impact of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. Noting that the hospital has “put some of its troubles behind us,” he stressed that the organization’s ability to come out of bankruptcy was a significant step. However, like most hospitals throughout the nation, it still was dealing with the declining patient count resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 situation.
He added that as new leader of the hospital, it was his intent to “earn back the confidence of the community.” Adcock indicated that his main focus was “to build back to caseload of the hospital to pre-COVID levels.”
With respect to the current COVID status, he said that the hospital was averaging about one COVID-19 case a day. He also noted that Windsor County currently has about 60% of its population with at least one vaccination compared to 48% of Chittenden County.
Adcock said the hospital expected to receive the new Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 through 15 shortly and open clinics to administer them.
In terms of staffing, he noted that the hospital shortly will have a second general surgeon and that key staff members have stayed with the hospital. When queried about the possibility of reopening maternity care, he noted that it was not coming back in the near term.
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