Welcome to the Gardner VNA Website
The Gardner Visiting Nursing Association, Inc. (Gardner VNA) is dedicated to providing high quality, affordable health and social services to North Worcester County and Franklin County. We accept referrals from physicians, hospitals and those in the community that are in need of our services.
The Gardner VNA is a non-profit organization that receives funding from grants, the United Way, the Knowlton Foundation and through private donations.
Please take a moment to browse our website to see all the services available through the Gardner VNA. We have been a part of this community since 1906 and look forward to many more years of serving our communities needs.
Message from Elaine T. Fluet, RN, MSN CEO
Wonderful news! The Gardner VNA remains fiscally strong and dedicated to providing quality services to our community. The mission remains unchanged, but the “how” to accomplish it has become quite different. For example, in 2008, the Home Care program introduced Telemonitoring. Through the use of the Health Buddy monitor, information is transmitted from patients’ homes via the telephone back to the Gardner VNA office. Eligible individuals are able to receive daily monitoring of weight, blood pressure, pulse, blood oxygenation and blood sugar. Most importantly the use of the Health Buddy provides patients with daily education on managing chronic illness. This monitoring does not diminish the “human contact” but complements our care and assures follow-up with a home visit whenever needed.
In Home Care and Hospice a new scheduling software package was also implemented to improve efficiency in operation. Clinicians in Home Care and Hospice are now able to receive their daily and weekly schedule on their laptop computers.
We have a long list of tools of the trade: cell phones, laptops, telemonitoring, PT INR machines, but the real story is about the people involved at the Gardner VNA. It’s about our employees and volunteers who walked in the rain during the Walk for Hunger to support our food pantry; organized the annual Hospice Memorial Service in November; participated in the Nursing mentor program in Home Care or gave time to a student nurse experience; helped out at the flu clinics; assisted with agency sponsored fundraisers and activities; got involved in the Relay For Life and contributed at the agency with their feedback and suggestions.
One hundred and fifty employees worked together to assure individuals and families received quality care. Staff providing care in the home or at our centers encountered clients needing more than just health care. The challenges from a failing economy resulted in more clients needing assistance with food, housing, and ability to purchase medications and supplies. Dealing with these issues is very time consuming and I thank each individual who went the extra mile for our clients. It is this commitment to the total care of our clients that makes the Gardner VNA unique.
The landscape of reimbursement in health care is constantly changing. Reductions in services and reimbursement will impact us both as providers and consumers. We will constantly evaluate, advocate and adjust to assure that quality care is delivered to all our clients. The Gardner VNA has a long tradition of meeting the needs of the community and together with the Board of Directors, employees and volunteers we will work to meet every challenge. We dedicate ourselves to our mission and to be “Always There…Always Caring”