There are many people out in the community and at CVHHH HQ in Berlin who keep CVHHH running smoothly. Josie is one of them. Josie, who lives in Barre, joined CVHHH in 2024 as the Home Care Patient Care Coordinator. An expert problem solver and scheduling strategist, Josie puts her skills to work every day to ensure that clinicians and patients have as much time together as possible. We asked Josie to share some details about her work and life outside of CVHHH.
Q: Tell us about your role at CVHHH?
A: As the Home Care Patient Care Coordinator, aka the scheduler, I’m in charge of getting all home care patients seen by a team of over 30 clinicians, including nurses, rehab therapists, and social workers. My job is like piecing together a puzzle: how to arrange the schedule for a clinician who covers a particular geographic territory (Barre or Waterbury, for example) so that they can maximize the amount of time with each patient.
“I like to be engaged in work that benefits others and enriches the lives of others in some way.”
Q: What is your professional background?
A: I spent over a decade working in various organic agriculture and small artisan food startups in Vermont, then moved to NYC for a few years and coordinated urban farm training programs. I’m passionate about local food systems and community resilience. I also spent a few years freelance writing before joining CVHHH. It may not seem like there’s much of a connection between my past work and home health care. The throughline is that I like to be engaged in work that benefits others and enriches the lives of others in some way.
Q: What are some of the rewards of this work?
A: On a good day, the biggest reward is just knowing how many people are getting the critical support that they need from the home care team.
Q: What role do you think CVHHH plays in the central Vermont community?
A: CVHHH is a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in our service area (which includes Washington County and three towns in Orange County). Our home care team not only treats people’s chronic diseases and wounds but also provides education to reinforce healthy lifestyles. Our hospice team allows families to stay together during a family member’s transition to end of life and offers bereavement support for those who have lost someone.
Q: When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
A: I get out into nature as often as I can, whether it’s mushroom hunting, backpacking, or tubing down the river. I also garden, preserve food, and cook elaborate meals almost daily.
