New HPV Screens Help Uncover Cervical Cancer Risks For about a decade, physicians have had access to a human papillomavirus test to help stratify a patient's risk for cervical cancer. However, this spring the FDA approved two new options to further refine early identification of the HPV variants most often linked with cancers of the cervix, vulva and vagina. CINDY SANDERS

Medical Trade Mart Could Open Doors Next Year in Nashville If Bill Winsor's vision becomes a reality, purchasers of medical supplies from across the globe will be arriving at Nashville International Airport next year and hopping a cab to downtown, where the Nashville Medical Trade Center will provide a one-stop shop for a wealth of healthcare-related products. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

HCA's Perlin Leads National Committee on HIT Standards A nationwide, interoperable, privacy-protected health information technology infrastructure. If you think it just can't be done, talk to Nashville's Jonathan B. Perlin, MD. He's a believer. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

HIT Stimulus Offers Nashville an Economic Opportunity Panelists Encourage Innovation At press time, the Nashville Health Care Council was scheduled to host Health Information Technology & The Economic Stimulus, a panel discussion at the end of June to examine the broad implications of the federal HIT push. Nashville Medical News spoke with panelists in advance of the meeting about the challenges and opportunities for providers and for Nashville itself. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

Does The HIT Stimulus Money Mean Smooth Sailing – Or Rough Seas? The cheerleading is fast and furious. The federal government and various medical organizations continue to hail the nearly $19 billion health information technology portion of President Obama's economic stimulus as the catalyst needed to break down barriers to widespread use of electronic health records. Yet there's an undercurrent of caution among providers, HIT entrepreneurs and the popular media. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

Staying Cool Under Fire Vanderbilt Burn Center Nationally Recognized for Trauma Care The Vanderbilt Regional Burn Center was developed in the wake of the Waverly train disaster in February 1978. In the aftermath of a 24-car derailment, a vapor leak occurred. Within minutes of the discovery –– before the cleanup crew had time to react –– the tanker exploded. CINDY SANDERS

Urgent and Emergent Nation's Trauma & Emergency System Nears Breaking Point Congress is currently considering two pieces of legislation that many leaders in trauma care and emergency medicine consider a lifeline for their respective specialties. Without intervention, these professionals fear a time will come when a call for emergency care cannot be answered. CINDY SANDERS

HEALTHCARE ENTERPRISE: Prorenata Health Offers Nurse Practitioner House Calls Prorenata in medical parlance means "as needed," and that's just the inspiration for Prorenata Health Inc., launched in January to offer medical services delivered to Rutherford County homes by a nurse practitioner. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

Physician Spotlight: James G. Snyder, MD, PhD Expanding Horizons Growing up in an old mill town on the Jersey Shore, "fishing every day," James Snyder, MD, PhD, probably never envisioned that he would live inland far from the beach in Middle Tennessee and South America. KELLY PRICE

Contributed Expertise Archives