Reporter April 5 2019 Archive — Page 1 of 1

April 4, 2019

Upgrade to bring enhanced features, functionality to eStar

In the early morning hours of April 7, eStar, the Epic-based electronic health record (EHR) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, will undergo its first major upgrade since the system went live in a coordinated “Big Bang” across most of the Medical Center in November 2017.

By Madison Agee
April 4, 2019

Report seeks to streamline EHR de-identification

Over the past few decades the electronic health record (EHR) has become an object of intensive study, opening new ground in biomedical research. Natural language sections of the EHR, such as physician’s notes and health team messages, are a rich vein for research, but patient privacy considerations entail first scrubbing patient identifiers from these notes and messages. Historically, this has been accomplished through large, complex software systems that are expensive to develop and maintain.

By Paul Govern
Tobacco-control initiatives were the focus of a panel discussion at the spring Research into Policy and Practice Lecture. Panelists included, from left, Caroline Young, Jim Hobart, Hilary Tindle, MD, MPH, Chris Sherwin, State Sen. Shane Reeves, and Melinda Buntin, PhD.
April 4, 2019

Panel explores tobacco-control legislation efforts

Tobacco control legislative initiatives in Tennessee and other states were discussed during the spring Research into Policy and Practice Lecture sponsored by the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and NashvilleHealth.

By Jill Clendening
Mohana Karlekar, MD, medical director of the Palliative Care program, right, teaches medical and nursing students about how to have positive conversations with patients about advance directives for healthcare.
April 4, 2019

Events to focus on education about advance directives

Health care professionals throughout the United States are encouraging patients and their families to document their preferences related to their health care during an awareness campaign known as National Healthcare Decisions Day, celebrated on Tuesday, April 16. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is hosting several events for employees to promote the importance of completing an advance directive for health care.

By Jill Clendening
April 4, 2019

Society of Urologic Oncology honors Smith’s contributions

Joseph “Jay” Smith Jr., MD, professor of Urologic Surgery, has been awarded the 2019 Willet F. Whitmore Jr. Award and Lectureship from the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO).

By Craig Boerner
April 4, 2019

Head and neck cancer screening event set for April 12

Early diagnosis of head and neck cancer greatly increases odds of survival, but its symptoms can be subtle or mimic viral infections, so Vanderbilt Health offers a free screening annually.

By Tom Wilemon