Clinical Programs
Overview of Clinical Programs
The Division of Rheumatology & Immunology has a diversity of clinical programs and practice settings. Our fellowship training sites include the Vanderbilt Clinic (TVC), the Nashville Veteran’s Administration Hospital (VA) and Nashville General Hospital at Meharry (NGH). These training sites provide unique patient populations for our faculty and fellows with TVC serving as a referral site that includes specialized clinical programs, the VA serving our Veteran population, and NGH serving the Tennessee Medicaid (TennCare) population and the uninsured of Nashville-Davidson County. Active inpatient consultation services at Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH) and the VA are covered by our faculty and fellows who provide high acuity patient care for patients in our region.
In addition to our training sites, the Division maintains ambulatory practices in Cool Springs-Williamson County, Hendersonville, and Green Hills-Nashville. These practices are located within 30-45 minutes of VUH and serve the needs of patients with rheumatologic diseases in Tennessee and surrounding states.
The Division also has exceptional specialized clinics serving patients with complex systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease. The Vanderbilt Vasculitis Center is led by Drs. Jason Springer and Kevin Byram who have both completed vasculitis fellowships and are nationally recognized leaders in vasculitis management and research. Together with other specialists at Vanderbilt, they offer comprehensive care for patients with all types of vasculitis and related disorders. Dr. Tracy Frech directs the Vanderbilt Multi-disciplinary Scleroderma Center. Dr. Frech is an internationally renowned clinician and researcher who has assembled a team of specialists in pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, vascular medicine and dermatology who have specialized skills in managing the complex needs of scleroderma patients. The Myositis Program is directed by Drs. Erin Wilfong and Jennifer Young-Glazer. Dr. Wilfong is board certified in rheumatology, pulmonary and critical care medicine and specializes in the treatment of myositis patients with interstitial lung disease and critical illnesses. Dr. Young-Glazer has a special interest Our program in Psoriatic Arthritis and Spondyloarthropathies is led by Dr. Paras Karmacharya. Dr. Karmacharya’s work is focused on personalized treatment of these heterogeneous diseases. Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Programs are led by Dr. Bobo Tanner, a former President of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. He cares for patients with advanced and complex disorders of bone and conducts research studies to advance the treatment of these conditions. Drs. Narender Annapureddy and April Barnado lead our clinical and research programs in Lupus. Along with our colleagues in nephrology and dermatology, they work together on early diagnosis and exceptional clinical care for lupus patients.
We have a robust partnership with our colleagues in Pediatric Rheumatology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt where all of our fellows participate in clinical activities. This growing Division is led by Drs. Brent Graham, Division Chief, and Alisa Gotte, Training Program Director. Dr. Tyler Reese, trained in adult and pediatric rheumatology, leads Transition Clinic for pediatric patients transitioning to care in adult clinics.