Gifford Pediatrics Recognized for Excellence in Preventive Care

RANDOLPH, VT. – Gifford Pediatrics has been recognized by the Vermont Department of Health for excellence in childhood and adolescent immunizations, earning Gold-Level recognition for adolescent immunization coverage and Silver-Level recognition for childhood immunization coverage in 2026.

Each year, the Vermont Department of Health uses data reported to the Vermont Immunization Registry to recognize practices that achieve the highest immunization coverage rates with Gold and Silver designations.

For adolescent patients ages 13–15, Gifford Pediatrics earned Gold-Level recognition by achieving at least an 80% immunization rate for recommended Tdap, meningococcal (MCV), and HPV vaccines. The practice also earned Silver-Level recognition for childhood immunizations among patients ages 19–35 months, reflecting strong performance across the recommended childhood vaccine series.

According to the Vermont Department of Health, the recognition reflects far more than strong vaccination rates. It represents the dedication, compassion, and teamwork of physicians, nurses, medical assistants, front office staff, and care coordinators who work together to ensure patients receive recommended vaccines on time, answer families’ questions with empathy, and make preventive care a priority during every patient encounter.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire pediatrics team,” said Dr. Courtney Riley, pediatrician at Gifford Health Care. “Protecting children and teens through preventive care is one of the most important things we do. Every member of our team—from our providers and nurses to our medical assistants, care coordinators, and front office staff—plays a role in helping families stay informed and ensuring patients receive recommended vaccines on time.”

High immunization rates help protect individual children while also strengthening community immunity, reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and protecting those who are most vulnerable.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from the Vermont Department of Health,” said Michael Costa, CEO of Gifford Health Care. “Preventive care is a cornerstone of healthy communities, and these recognitions reflect the outstanding work our Pediatrics team does every day to keep children healthy and give families confidence in their care.

For more information about Gifford Pediatrics, visit giffordhealthcare.org.

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Gifford Health Care is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, and Rochester, and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford has earned both a 5-star Overall Hospital Quality Rating and a 5-star Patient Survey Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — the highest recognition possible in both categories. Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit, many surgical services, daycare, an adult day program, and a 30-bed nursing home. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to traditional hospital-based deliveries and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. As a community health center and medical home, Gifford’s mission is to improve and manage the health of the people we serve by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care, and by promoting the health and well-being of everyone in their service area.