U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker knows the University of Mississippi Medical Center has a state-of-the-art, model telehealth program and the nation's first broadband public safety network that connects emergency responders with life-saving health-care providers. 

But until Wednesday, Wicker hadn't seen those resources in action. He hadn't seen trauma surgeons videoconferencing with physicians in rural hospital emergency rooms across Mississippi, giving them vital real-time instruction on how to best save their patients' lives. 

Wicker hadn't seen paramedics and emergency medical technicians in Mississippi MED-COM, located down the hall from UMMC's Emergency Department, fielding calls from ambulance crews and passing on critical information on patients destined for arrival at the Medical Center and other hospitals statewide. 

As he walked through the dimly lit MED-COM control room after taking part in a videoconference with emergency room staff at UMMC's hospital in rural Lexington, it took Wicker no time to process what he saw.

"This is a real success story," Wicker said. "We've seen what can be done, and a glimpse of what more can be done."

It's a waiting game that can be excruciating for the families of Mississippi children who have been sexually abused: How soon can they find out if their child's alleged perpetrator is HIV positive? 

State law hasn't forced such suspects to be tested for HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases until he or she is convicted, a process that can take years, especially if the abuser isn't immediately known. Come July 1, however, anyone accused of sexually abusing a child must be tested for HIV within 24 hours of arrest. 

Gov. Phil Bryant in late March signed into law House Bill 257, which mandates the testing as part of overall legislation requiring DNA testing for those arrested in connection with violent crimes.

For sexually abused patients treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Children's Safe Center, the new requirement will bring swift psychological relief to their families as opposed to months or years of uncertainty over whether their child was exposed to the HIV virus. Test results are ready in about an hour.

MARCH 25 ATTENDEES

• Dr. James Keeton, special advisor to the vice chancellor for health affairs
• Dr. Charles O'Mara, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs 
• Dr. John Purvis, associate professor of pediatric orthopedics 
• Dr. Mart McMullan (by phone), senior advisor to the vice chancellor 
• Dr. Bryan Barksdale, professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology 
• Dr. Mildred Ridgway, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology 
•  Dr. Jim Sones, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Digestive Disorders 
• Dr. Dan Woodliff, associate professor of medicine, internal medicine 
• Kevin Cook, CEO, University Hospitals and Health System 
• Guy Giesecke, CEO, Children's of Mississippi 
• Dr. Mechelle Keeton, director, Office of Physician Relations
• Kate Feldman, physician liaison, Office of Physician Relations

The Medical Center is proud to announce the following addition to its faculty and leadership staff:

Volunteerism earns statewide kudos for the School of Nursing; UMMC pharmacology faculty team with Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee researchers to produce what a national organization claims is one of its top three recent papers.