Jill Clendening

March 11, 2020

VUMC rolls out new standard attire program for patient service specialists

Vanderbilt University Medical Center recently launched a new standard attire program for patient service specialists (PSS), the staff who work in outpatient check-in and checkout areas.

By Jill Clendening
VUMC Patient Navigator Bri Yip, at left, reviews upcoming prenatal appointments with MyMaternityHealth Bundle participant Amy New.
March 4, 2020

Bundled maternity plan offered to VUMC, MNPS employees

Hearing that she could deliver her second child with no out-of-pocket expense convinced Vanderbilt University Medical Center employee Amy New to enroll in the new MyMaternityHealth Bundle offered by Vanderbilt Health, and she quickly learned the program’s advantages didn’t stop there.

By Jill Clendening
Dan Kula, a volunteer with Vanderbilt Vigil Volunteers, visits with patient Gwenthian Hewitt. The program provides support for seriously ill patients at VUMC who might not have a loved one available to be at their bedside.
February 27, 2020

Vigil Volunteers seeks those with compassion to spare

Dan Kula remembers entering a patient’s room on the Palliative Care Unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and immediately sensing the man’s agitation, which can be a symptom for those who are terminally ill.

By Jill Clendening
Carmen Solórzano, MD, left, Emmanuel Mannoh, Giju Thomas, PhD, Naira Baregamian, MD, and colleagues are testing a device to assist in locating parathyroid glands during surgery.
February 13, 2020

Clinical trial tests device that detects parathyroid glands

Vanderbilt is testing a device to assist in locating parathyroid glands during surgery.

By Jill Clendening
January 29, 2020

Buntin named deputy editor of JAMA Health Forum

Melinda Buntin, PhD, chair of Health Policy at VUMC, has been named deputy editor of JAMA Health Forum, a new online information channel published by JAMA Network.

By Jill Clendening
January 29, 2020

Effort ensures eligible Medicare patients receive their annual wellness visit

When it was determined that a majority of the 19,000 individuals eligible to receive a no-cost annual wellness visit as part of their Medicare coverage had not yet scheduled one, a large task force was assembled at VUMC to contact these patients and schedule their visits

By Jill Clendening
December 2, 2019

New VUMC service education focuses on strategies to “power up” positivity

The fourth module of Defining Personalized Care – Elevating Our Culture of Service, focuses on the effect positivity can bring to an individual’s own well-being and to those they serve, including colleagues.
By Jill Clendening
November 21, 2019

Lecture explores Medicare for All’s potential impacts

The concept of a single-payer, government-run health care program — Medicare for All — has sparked national debate, and that proposal was the focus of a spirited discussion on Nov. 19 at the Research into Policy and Practice Lecture sponsored by the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
By Jill Clendening
November 7, 2019

Griffith honored for her contributions to telehealth initiatives

Michelle Griffith, MD, recently received an award for her work building networks for and advocacy of telehealth.
By Jill Clendening
October 24, 2019

Value-Based Care University hosts first educational event

On Oct. 30, Value-Based Care University is hosting its first educational event for frontline clinicians, and the free event can be attended either in person or through a live webinar.
By Jill Clendening
October 23, 2019

Awards honor employees’ patient experience efforts

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has recognized 183 clinicians and 27 clinical areas with Excellence in Patient Experience awards in recognition of exceptional performance and commitment to service excellence.
By Jill Clendening
October 16, 2019

OpenNotes gives patients full access to clinician notes

Patients who receive treatment at three VUMC clinics were recently given full access to their clinicians’ notes in their electronic medical records as part of an OpenNotes pilot.
By Jill Clendening