State's Trauma System Taking Shape Officials Hoping for Heavy Hospital Participation Funds to set up the state's trauma system should be delivered by September or October as officials encourage as many hospitals as possible to participate. STEVE BRAWNER

Urgent and Emergent Nation's Trauma & Emergency System Nears Breaking Point Congress is currently considering two pieces of legislation that many leaders in trauma care and emergency medicine consider a lifeline for their respective specialties. Without intervention, these professionals fear a time will come when a call for emergency care cannot be answered. CINDY SANDERS

Providers Await Feds Guidance on HIT Spending Billions Available from Stimulus Package Billions of federal dollars are about to flow directly to medical providers to adopt modern health information technology systems that allow them to electronically exchange information with other providers and payers. But how they are expected to spend that money has yet to be defined. STEVE BRAWNER

Does The HIT Stimulus Money Mean Smooth Sailing – Or Rough Seas? The cheerleading is fast and furious. The federal government and various medical organizations continue to hail the nearly $19 billion health information technology portion of President Obama's economic stimulus as the catalyst needed to break down barriers to widespread use of electronic health records. Yet there's an undercurrent of caution among providers, HIT entrepreneurs and the popular media. SHARON H. FITZGERALD

Kenneth A. Martin, MD Orthopedic Surgeon Kenneth Martin's Work is Also His Hobby LITTLE ROCK – Facing surgery can be a scary prospect at any age. For people whose religious faith is important to them, prayer can be an important way to prepare. It can mean even more when their doctor prays with them. BECKY GILLETTE