American Academy of Pediatrics - Vermont Chapter

Dec. 1, 2015 

Four of Franklin County’s 11 pediatricians will close their practices – or already have – in coming weeks, leaving an estimated 6,000 young patients scrambling for access to primary health care due to what pediatricians say is an increasingly difficult financial environment for independent primary care practitioners in Vermont.

The AAPVT has gained national recognition after receiving an Outstanding Chapter Award at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Annual Leadership Forum held in March in Schaumburg, Ill. 

The Outstanding Chapter Awards recognize chapters for excellence in programs that promote the health and welfare of children and are presented in four categories based on membership: small chapter, medium chapter, large chapter, and very large chapter.  The Vermont Chapter earned the award for the small chapter category. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter hosted it’s annual Fall Meeting, Nov. 14, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier. 

Highlights of the day-long meeting included educational sessions about HPV, adolescent transition, unsafe sleep and abusive head trauma, detecting child abuse, adolescent medicine and more.  A membership forum, networking opportunities and the Green Mountain Pediatrician Awards also took place.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter today joined 37 other organizations in Alliance for a Healthier Vermont, a group seeking new sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax legislation.  During a press conference this morning at the statehouse, the coalition called on the tax in order to address the state’s growing obesity rates and associated health care costs.