Tucked in a data center in the basement of Vanderbilt University Hospital, a new computer the size of a large armoire, called a data warehouse appliance, is delivering a new order of speed to Vanderbilt clinical scientists as they search, filter, analyze and annotate the de-identified medical records of approximately 2 million patients.

The latest Credo Award and Five Pillar Leader Award winners were announced at this week’s Spring Clinical Enterprise Leadership Assembly at Langford Auditorium.

Over the next three years, Medicare will test a new payment arrangement that rewards participating hospitals when Medicare patients require fewer inpatient and post-discharge services, but extracts financial penalties when patients require more of these services.

Having served since 2009 as Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s chief quality and safety officer, Julie Morath, MSN, is leaving to become senior vice president for the California Hospital Association, where she will have oversight for hospital and health system quality and safety strategy and alignment. She will also be appointed CEO of the new California Hospital Quality Institute.