Newsmaker Interview: UVM Health Network CEO works to close $75M budget gap

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BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The UVM Health Network suffers from a sustainability problem, according to its CEO, Sunny Eappen.

Eappen says the network faces a number of the same challenges as when he took over last year — inflation, labor costs, workforce shortages, and a lack of housing and child care.

In the fiscal year that ended in September 30, Eappen says the network achieved a razor-slim margin, but fell short of its budget goal by $47 million. In the current fiscal year, they’re working to close a $75 million gap. He says if not for one-time relief funds, the UVM Health Network would have lost hundreds of millions of dollars since 2020 and that the current situation is not sustainable.

Cat Viglienzoni spoke with Eappen about the challenges of the past year and his hopes for the future.

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