Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice joins regional network
July 16, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice is one of two Vermont home health agencies that have recently joined the New England Collaborative Health Network.
The move expands a partnership to help independent providers reduce costs, strengthen services and keep health care decisions local, according to the network’s announcement.
The other provider joining the network is the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, bringing the collaborative's membership to 13 organizations, approximately two-thirds of all independent home health agencies in Vermont.
Member agencies in the collaborative remain independent and continue making their own decisions about patient care, while pooling purchasing power and resources behind the scenes.
“The more organizations we have sitting at the table to help solve these problems, the better,” said David Turner, executive director of the collaborative. “Adding these agencies gives us a much bigger presence in the home health world, and helps us make sure we understand what their needs are — both within their own area of care and in the bigger picture.”
In the announcement, the network offered examples of how the collaboration can help reduce costs for providers. By switching purchasing contracts through the organization’s group purchasing arrangement, providers can continue to buy the same products at lower prices, such as dropping the cost of a box of gloves from $10 to $8. Such savings add up, allowing organizations to direct more resources to patient care rather than administrative expenses.
Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice provides home health, hospice, palliative care and rehabilitation that promotes independence for patients in the region. Chief Financial Officer Kelly Bishop said that joining the network is a move to help continue offering high-quality, cost-effective care.
“By collaborating with other mission-driven health care organizations, we can strengthen our ability to reduce costs and identify additional opportunities that support efficiency, sustainability, and exceptional patient care,” Bishop said.
Serving patients in three counties, including the Rutland Regional Medical Center, Southwest Vermont Medical Center and Northwestern Medical Center service areas, VNA & Hospice is the largest home health agency to join the network to date.
Upcoming projects that the network is pursuing to reduce overhead expenses include shared electronic health records, human resources systems, and care-coordination tools to allow member organizations to work more closely together.
The network includes hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and home health agencies across Vermont and the surrounding region. Several additional organizations are expected to join in the coming weeks.