Tennessee
Tennessee hospitals turn to AI to tackle staffing woes and improve patient care efficiency
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Hospitals across Tennessee are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence, or AI, to improve patient care, streamline administrative processes, and support clinical staff amid ongoing workforce challenges.
AI in Stroke Care
TriStar Skyline Medical Center, the state’s first Comprehensive Stroke Center, recently introduced an FDA-cleared AI platform designed to enhance stroke diagnosis and intervention. The deep-learning imaging system rapidly analyzes brain scans, helping clinicians identify the severity and location of stroke-related abnormalities.
“At TriStar Skyline, innovation isn’t just about what’s next — it’s about what’s best for our patients,” said Dr. Dennis Cole, neurologist and medical director of the Neurosciences Program. “This AI solution empowers our team to interpret imaging faster, which can lead to improved outcomes when it matters most.”
Stroke is among the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that a stroke occurs every 40 seconds.
TriStar Skyline’s platform aims to streamline the entire stroke pathway, from emergency department admission to advanced intervention.
AI in Hospital Workflow
In West Tennessee, West Tennessee Healthcare is piloting Dragonfly Navigate, an AI-driven tool designed by Xsolis, an AI company based in Franklin, Tennessee.
The system helps case managers make data-informed decisions on patient discharge and post-hospital care, including transfers to skilled nursing facilities or home health services.
AI and Workforce Challenges
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is also advancing health AI through the newly launched ADVANCE Center (AI Discovery and Vigilance to Accelerate Innovation and Clinical Excellence).
FOX 17 News learned more about the center last year that aims to integrate AI into patient care, research, and training, supporting both clinical decision-making and workforce efficiency.
The hospital has formed an AI committee to address nursing shortages, using technology to help nurses monitor patients more effectively and reduce preventable injuries. Robin Steaban, chief officer of Vanderbilt’s adult hospital, said AI could allow nurses to focus more on patient care by performing some basic monitoring tasks.
“Adoption will be a little hard, but once people get it, they’ll not work some place that doesn’t have it,” Steaban said, noting that AI is still in the early stages of implementation but is expected to support long-term staffing solutions.
By supporting faster, data-driven decisions and helping manage administrative burdens, AI technologies may help improve patient outcomes while addressing workforce challenges, particularly in specialized care and nursing.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Tennessee lawmakers are preparing to discuss hundreds of bills as the state legislature convenes, with mental health funding emerging as a priority for two lawmakers.
State Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, and state Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knox County, said mental health care funding will be a focus of upcoming legislative conversations.
“It’s been a big topic,” McKenzie said.
“That’s going to be very top of my mind as far as working and advocating for that,” Massey said.
Massey, who chairs the Transportation Committee, said the state needs more money for road expansion. She expressed concerns about insufficient funding for billion of dollars worth of road projects.
“People are paying less to drive on our roads and the cost of building roads are going up. So your gas tax is going down, the cost of building roads is going up,” Massey said.
McKenzie stressed the need for more public education funding following the first year of families using state dollars for private school through the voucher program.
“In Knox County, our numbers are up. Actually, in Memphis, their numbers are up, so I think some of the changes we’ve made in regard to public education and putting a few more dollars in, I think we can continue that process,” McKenzie said.
State House Speaker Cameron Sexton has said he wants to at least double the voucher program to offer it to 40,000 to 50,000 families. Both Massey and McKenzie expressed skepticism about the expansion.
“This isn’t about those kids in failing schools, this is about their friends, the rich or almost rich, that are just wanting a check from the government,” McKenzie said.
Massey cited revenue concerns about the expansion.
“I’m not getting the vibes that there is going to be enough revenue to do that because we’ve got other funding needs also,” Massey said.
Massey added the state could expand the program this year, but perhaps to 5,000 more families.
The General Assembly will reconvene next Tuesday.
Copyright 2026 WVLT. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
Deputies perform ‘life-saving measures’ after 5-year-old falls into swimming pool in Tennessee
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Tennessee sheriff’s office is asking the community to pray for a family whose 5-year-old was hospitalized after falling into a swimming pool.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and family members were “administering life-saving measures” Thursday afternoon after pulling the child out of the water.
The child was then transferred to a hospital, where they are still being treated.
“The child was subsequently transported to the hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care‚” said a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy, no further details will be released at this time.”
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Sam Purcell felt good about the game plan for Mississippi State women’s basketball’s matchup with Tennessee.
But the Bulldogs gave up 26 points in the first quarter and trailed by seven points. It was a deficit they never recovered from in a 90-80 loss to the Lady Vols at Humphrey Coliseum on Jan. 8.
“You look at that that first quarter, I thought it was crucial. We had a great scout, a great game plan, but we didn’t talk on ball screens,” Purcell said. “Their largest quarter was that first quarter, and we’re going to watch back and go, dang it, we need to be more vocal. And you got to give them credit – top to bottom, they’re probably as good as anybody in the country with athleticism. So you can’t let those athletic kids turn the corner for wide open layups, and we did.”
Kharyssa Richardson and Madison Francis led the Bulldogs with 22 points each, but MSU didn’t have enough defense to pull off the upset.
Had Mississippi State been able to slow down Tennessee’s drivers in the first quarter, it may have been a different result. But once the Bulldogs started slowing that down, the Lady Vols were “phenomenal hitting some big-time shots,” Purcell said.
Tennessee only had the edge in points in the paint, 42-40, but it also went 10-for-27 on 3-pointers, which was an area Mississippi State couldn’t match. The Bulldogs shot 2-for-13 from deep.
MSU also couldn’t stop Tennessee freshman point guard Mia Pauldo, who scored a game-high 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. The Bulldogs sent her to the foul line time and time again, and she went 8-for-9 on free throws.
“I thought (Pauldo) was poised, she was clutch,” Purcell said. “Obviously, that’s what you need in games like this that are gonna come down the to the wire. You need players to step up, and I thought she was the X factor for them.”
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