Abstract Objective: Through the use of quality improvement methodology, we aimed to increase the percent of eligible patients seen for developmental testing at our institution from 2.6% to 25% within a 36-month timeframe. Method: The Model for Improvement (Langley et al., 2009) was utilized as a framework to develop and implement an interdisciplinary, hospital-based early intervention program that included comprehensive developmental assessments intended to inform intervention services.

      The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has selected Aaron Jeckell’s presentation on concussion for new Course of the Month series.  Dr. Jeckell presented a talk titled “Dispelling Myths About Head Injuries: An Impactful Look at Sport-Related Concussion” at APA’s 2020 virtual Annual Meeting.  His talk was selected to be highlighted as part of APA’s continuing education initiative for APA members.  More information can be found here.

Peter R. Martin, M.D., professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pharmacology and director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center, served as editor for the first book released by the International Network for the History of Neuropsychopharmacology (INHN) of the same name, "International Network for the History of Neuropsychopharmacology." Authors include Martin, Thomas A.

Medical student, Kia Quinlan, worked with mentors in the pediatric transplant group and Dr. Cathy Fuchs from Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to show  that psychiatric illness impacts outcomes in children who need heart transplants. Children with psychiatric disorders had greater risk for readmission to the hospital and graft rejection.

As part of the Nature Reviews Disease Primers series, Jo Ellen Wilson, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and multiple colleagues at Vanderbilt University, have authored a comprehensive Nature Primer on Delirium which thoroughly covers everything you might need to know about the diagnosis.

Let’s just say what we all know is true: things are not “normal” right now and things won’t look remotely “normal” for months to come. The coronavirus pandemic shows no signs of slowing down as we inch toward a cold winter, and post-election stress is adding an additional layer of unrest to an already unrestful year.

 Click the image above to read the DISJ Fall 2020 Newsletter in its entirety.

New research from COE team Investigators at the Vanderbilt Center of Excellence for Children in State’s Custody, including Director of Quality Improvement, Kathy Gracey, M.Ed., have shown new links between neighborhood factors and risk for child maltreatment.  The study combined census data with state administrative data and found that youth in the lowest income neighborhoods were 10 times more likely to enter an out-of-home placement. Higher employment rates, having health insurance, and greater educational attainment were protective factors.

Fourth-year resident in General Psychiatry Seth Christman, MD, and James G Blakemore Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Warren Taylor, MD, MHSc, recently published the article "Accelerated brain aging predicts impaired cognitive performance and greater disability in geriatric but not midlife adult depression" in the journal Translational Psychiatry.