ANTHONY: HIGH ON THESE HILLS AND UNEXPECTED -- AN UNEXPECTED KIND OF PEACE AND QUIET.
TWICE A WEEK, TIBETAN BUDDHIST MONKS LEAD A PRAYER CEREMONY AT THIS BUDDHIST INSTITUTE IN NORTHFIELD.
♪ ANTHONY: HE IS ONE OF FIVE MONKS WHO RESIDE AT THE MONASTERY.
>> WE ARE ENJOYING THIS PLACE AND ALL THE NATURE.
EVERYTHING IS NICE HERE.
ANTHONY: FOUNDED IN 2004, THE INSTITUTE OFFERS VISITORS MODESTLY LODGING -- MODESTLY PRICED LODGING, MEALS, AND RETREATS ON ITS PROPERTY.
BUDDHISTS THE WORLD OVER KNOW THE INSTITUTE BECAUSE OF THIS MONTK.
>> TIBETANS CALL HIM THE MASTER OF MASTERS.
HIS PREDECESSOR WAS WITH THE DALAI LAMA, CAME OUT OF TIBET IN 1989, DID A LOT OF SCHOLARLY WRITING.
HE IS A REVERED FIGURE.
ANTHONY: WHENEVER THE MONKS NEED A DOCTOR, THEY SEE DR. JOHN MATTHEW.
>> WE GO TO THE HEALTH CENTER.
THEY HELP US WITH WHATEVER WE NEED.
ANTHONY: WHAT DR. MATTHEW HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE IN THIS REGION OF VERMONT.
>> RURAL AREAS HAVE A HARD TIME ATTRACTING OR KEEPING MARY CARE DOCTORS -- PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATION TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN STAFF.
ANTHONY: APPROXIMATELY 85 RURAL HOSPITALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE CLOSED SINCE 2010, AND NEARLY 700 MORE ARE AT RISK OF CLOSING, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH
ASSOCIATION.
THIS UNCERTAINTY PLACES AND ADDED ON CLINICS -- AN ADDED BURDEN ON CLINICS AND HEALTH CENTERS.
>> VERMONT HAS THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE NATION WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT ALL SORTS OF PARAMETERS, IN LARGE PART ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF PRIMARY CARE.
ANTHONY: DR. MATTHEW FOUNDED WHAT IS SIMPLY KNOWN AS THE HEALTH CENTER IN PLAINFIELD, ONE OF 12 FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS IN THE STATE.
DECADES AGO, DR. MATTHEW WAS STUDYING AND OPRAH KNOLOGY IN MONTRÉAL -- STUDYING ENDOCRINOLOGY IN MONTRÉAL.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMITTEE HEALTH CENTER.
THE MAN WHO HAD INVITED ME SAID, WE ARE HOPING YOU WILL START IT.
THERE WAS NOTHING HERE.
SO, I DIDN’T REALLY KNOW I’D BE HERE 45 YEARS LATER.
ANTHONY: THE HEALTH CENTER HAS FIVE DOCTORS AND SIX POSITION -- PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS.
THEIR PROGRAMS TREAT NEARLY 8000 PEOPLE.
>> THERE’S A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ELDERLY IN VERMONT.
THERE’S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE -- POOR PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS.
IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT GAS FOR YOUR CAR, YOU MIGHT HAVE A HARD TIME WORRYING ABOUT CHANGING YOUR DIET, FOR EXAMPLE.
ANTHONY: TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT KIND OF STRESS, THE CENTER RUNS MANY IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS.
ONE OF THEM MANAGES 18 PEOPLE ON DIABETIC PUMPS SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO REGULARLY DRIVE AN HOUR TO SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST.
>> WE HERE 60 HOURS A WEEK, AND THAT INCLUDES THREE HOURS ON SATURDAY MORNINGS.
ANTHONY: ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS, THIS MOBILE DENTAL VAN.
>> WE SEE A GOOD NUMBER OF KIDS WHO OTHERWISE HAVE NO ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE.
THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SIGN UP FOR MEDICAID, WHICH COVERS KIDS WITH DENTISTRY THROUGH THE AGE OF 20 HERE, BUT NOBODY HAS HELPED THEM SIGN UP.
WE HELP THEM SIGN UP.
ANTHONY: TO HEALTH CARE PHILOSOPHY HERE IS HOLISTIC AND INCLUDES PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNCIL WORK BEST COUNSELORS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS -- AND INCLUDES PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, AND
SOCIAL WORKERS.
>> WE HAVE TO GET PRIMARY CARE PRACTICES.
THEY NEED TO BE ORGANIZED LIKE THIS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STAFF THAT HAS MULTIPLE HATS.
ANTHONY: IT’S A CHALLENGE TO CONVINCE MEDICAL STUDENTS TO FORGO MORE LUCRATIVE CAREERS.
>> EVERYBODY COMES OUT OF MEDICAL SCHOOL WITH DEBT.
THERE’S A CULTURE IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS THAT MAKES PEOPLE THINK YOU ONLY DO REAL MEDICINE IF YOU DO SPECIALTY MEDICINE.
SO, THERE’S A CULTURE THERE THAT I THINK DISRESPECTS PRIMARY CARE.
>> WHAT IS RUNNING YOUR FAMILY?
ANTHONY: DR. MELISSA HAUSER SAYS THERE IS MUCH TO RESPECT ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEALTH CENTER, WHICH ALLOWS STAFF TO CARE FOR PATIENTS OUTSIDE OF ITS WALLS.
>> BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS AND ENTIRE FAMILIES HERE IN THE OFFICE, THE NURSING HOME, HOME VISITS, AND THE HOSPITAL WHEN THEY ARE SICK AND VULNERABLE I THINK MAKES A
DIFFERENCE.
>> WE FEEL PRIVILEGED TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE PEOPLE’S LIVES.
IF I SIMPLY SAY TO SOMEBODY, YOUR SMOKING WORRIES ME, IT TURNS OUT TO HAVE AN IMPACT.
FAMILY DOCTORS HAVE A POTENTIAL IMPACT THAT SURPRISES US.
SHAYNA: SINCE 2010, 107 HAVE -- RURAL HOSPITALS HAVE CLOSED.
HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF FACILITIES IN DANGER OF SHUTTING DOWN HAS DROPPED SLIGHTLY FROM 700 TO 673.
THE HEALTH CENTER IS WORKING TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
DR. MATTHEW SAYS THAT ELIMINATING SUCH EARLY TRAUMA COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN REDUCING DRUG ABUSE, SMOKING, AND OTHER UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS.
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