This year’s effort by Vanderbilt University Medical Center to protect its people from influenza will be the most important in a century. With COVID-19 already prevalent, consuming precious health care resources, endangering lives, and so far, killing more than 170,000 Americans, this is not the year to shun getting a flu vaccine.

After serving as interim chair since Jan. 1, Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, Cornelius Abernathy Craig Professor of Medicine, has been named chair of the Department of Medicine in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief for the Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics.

Scott McCarver, MHA, Chief Operating Officer for Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital, has taken the position of Chief Operating Officer at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital (VWCH). Jim Hayman, MS, MBA, who has served as Chief Pharmacy Officer for Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics for the past 12 years, will serve as the hospital’s interim Chief Operating Officer.

Erik Hess, MD, MSc, professor and interim chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine, has been named the new chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He will join the faculty on July 1.

As part of a multi-year regional growth plan for the Vanderbilt Health system, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has filed a public notice with the State of Tennessee’s Health Services Development Agency and will seek approval to build a 48-bed, 154,000 square foot full service, acute care hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Roger Dmochowski, MD, MMHC, has been named Interim Vice President for Perioperative Services for Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).