Briefs

Johnson named chief of Pediatric Cardiology

Jason Johnson, MD, MHS, was recently named chief of Pediatric Cardiology for the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. He previously served as associate chief of Pediatric Cardiology since 2020 and as director of cardiac MRI at Le Bonheur and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. During that time, Johnson has helped to facilitate programmatic growth, including the development of the region’s only hybrid cardiac MRI and catheterization lab, and faculty recruitment. Johnson will be responsible for leading the staff and directing the programs of the pediatric cardiology department.

        Jason Johnson, MD, MHS

King named chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology

Le Bonheur recently welcomed Joseph D. King, MD, as the new chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Le Bonheur and UT Health Science Center. King comes to Le Bonheur from Children’s Hospital of Mississippi and The University of Mississippi Medical Center where he served
as assistant professor and vice chair of Pediatric Anesthesia. King will lead, grow and develop pediatric anesthesiology division at Le Bonheur and UT Health Science Center.

     Joseph D. King, MD

Le Bonheur named a Tourette Association Center of Excellence

Le Bonheur’s Movement Disorders and Tourette Syndrome Center was recently named a Center of Excellence by the Tourette Association of America. This designation recognizes medical institutions that offer the highest level of care, are undertaking groundbreaking research, are leaders in training and education and provide exceptional community outreach and
advocacy for Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders.

PICU receives AACN Beacon Award for Excellence

Le Bonheur’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) team received the Gold American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence. In health care organizations, excellence is the sum of many complex parts. This accomplishment represents one of many significant milestones on the journey to optimal outcomes and exceptional patient care.

Brown elected to the Board of Directors of the American Society of Human Genetics

Chester Brown, MD, PhD, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the American Society of Human Genetics, the world’s largest professional genetics organization, for a three-year term starting in January 2025. Brown is the Genetics division chief at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and a professor at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Chester Brown, MD, PhD

Le Bonheur Neuroscience Institute joins the Pediatric
Epilepsy Research Consortium

Le Bonheur’s Neuroscience Institute recently became a member of the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC), a national collaboration of more than 75 pediatric epilepsy programs and more than 350 pediatric epileptologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric neuropsychologists and other pediatric epilepsy researchers. As a part of PERC, Le Bonheur Pediatric Neurologists Sarah Weatherspoon, MD, and James Wheless, MD, will serve as a member of the Epilepsy Surgery and Epilepsy Surgery Neuromodulation special interest groups. PERC provides a network and infrastructure to facilitate collaborative research in pediatric epilepsy working to improve the care of every child with epilepsy.

Sarah Weatherspoon, MD and James Wheless, MD

Le Bonheur physicians receive2024 Faculty Awards from UT Health Science Center

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center announced the 2024 Faculty Award winners, highlighting outstanding faculty members and their dedication and commitment to making a difference in their areas of health care. The awards program was initiated in 2013 to honor excellence in faculty endeavors in four areas critical to the mission: education, clinical care, mentoring and research. Nominees were selected by the faculty and reviewed and selected by the Education Committee, made up of a team of eight faculty members and pediatric chief residents. The committee received a total of 18 nominations this year and narrowed the selection down to one winner in each category.
Awardees can only win each award every three years.
Congratulations to all of the 2024 Faculty Award nominees and winners from Le Bonheur:
2024 Excellence in Clinical Care Award: Sandeep Chilakala, MD, Neonatology
2024 Excellence in Research: Shyam Sathanandam, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
2024 Excellence in Education Award: Jason Yaun, MD, General Pediatrics
2024 Excellence in Mentoring Award: M. Tammam Elabiad, MD, Neonatology