A patient at the UVM Medical Center building is in stable critical condition at the Burlington hospital after falling six stories there late Monday afternoon.

University of Vermont Health Network officials said that the patient apparently opened and exited a window in a stairwell on the sixth floor of the hospital’s main campus on Colchester Avenue at around 5 p.m. on May 15.

The patient suffered multiple injuries, was stabilized in the Emergency Department and is receiving ongoing treatment at the hospital, according to spokesperson Annie Mackin. No additional information about the patient would be released due to privacy rules, she said.

“This was an extremely distressing situation for everyone involved,” said Dr. Stephen Leffler, the hospital’s president and chief operating officer, in a written statement. “I am grateful for the teams who provided lifesaving care, and also want to thank the teams who continue to care for this patient.”

The stairwell is accessible to patients but is generally used only by employees, Mackin said. The windows are older and can be manually opened. 

The Burlington Police Department was notified of the fall at the time, and the UVM Medical Center is investigating the incident, she said.

 

 

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