The deluge of medical information available to physicians today can be overwhelming. As choices mount for patient testing and treatment, clinicians find themselves asking two closely related questions: Have I ordered the right test for my patient?

Taken together, what do these test results imply for the best treatment for my patient? My Health chat host Jim Jirjis, M.D., will talk with Mary Zutter, M.D., a specialist in hematopathology, and Madan Jagasia, M.D., a hematologist-oncologist and stem cell transplant specialist, about a new approach to testing and diagnostics that is empowering physicians to navigate the evolving medical landscape and determine the right tests at the right time, every time.

This diagnostic management team approach was sparked by hallway conversations among Vanderbilt clinicians, who believe it can benefit health care providers across the country – and their patients – by improving care, eliminating waste and strengthening collaboration.

Submit your questions for our panel on our Facebook page, via Twitter to @VUMCHealth, or by email to connect@vanderbilt.edu.

The job at Vanderbilt:
Primary care physician and leader in Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s activities to use computer technology to improve health care, including serving as project chair of the online patient portal My Health at Vanderbilt.

The titles:

• Director, Adult Primary Care Center
• Chief Medical Information Officer for Clinics
• Assistant Chief Medical Officer for EMR, VMG
• Adjunct Faculty, Department of Biomedical Informatics
• Assistant Professor of Medicine

The credentials:

• M.B.A., Vanderbilt University
• M.D., University of Chicago
• Fellowship, residency and internship, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Board-certified in internal medicine

In his own words:
"Imagine a world where you're tested once for scores of (genetic variations) and when you need that information, it's there for you. That's the care of the future."

The job at Vanderbilt
A physician-scientist with clinical expertise in pathology and Hematopathology, Dr. Zutter leads the Diagnostic Management Team. Dr. Zutter’s research focuses on the role of cell adhesion molecules in host-tumor interactions.

The titles

• Assistant Vice Chancellor for Integrative Diagnostics
• Director, Tumor-Host Interaction Program, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center
• Scientific Director, Human Tissue Acquisition & Pathology Core

The credentials

Dr. Zutter graduated from Tulane University Medical School and completed her pathology residency and hematopathology fellowship training at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She joined the Department of Pathology faculty at Washington University School of Medicine and served on the faculty for 15 years, before joining Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 2003.

In her own words
"I am passionate about harnessing the power of pathology to improve diagnostic accuracy in a world of increasingly complex testing."

The job at Vanderbilt
Dr. Jagasia is an integral part of the long-term transplant clinic with a singular focus on delivering efficient and effective care to the transplant patient.

The titles

• Associate Professor of Medicine
• Chief, Section of Hematology-Stem Cell Transplant
• Director, Outpatient Transplant Program

The credentials

Dr. Jagasia received his MBBS from King Edward Memorial College in Mumbai, India. He received his fellowship training at Vanderbilt University in hematology-oncology. He pursued his Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation at Vanderbilt from 2004-2006.

In his own words
"The interface of the  electronic medical record with the Diagnostic Management Team approach makes DMT seamless, and allows the busy clinician to have a wealth of information about patients at their fingertips. I use it not only to make clinical decisions, but as a visual aid to explain the disease process to the patient."