Built on a not-for-profit mission of community service, Covenant Health and its member organizations are working together to be the first and best choice for a healthier East Tennessee.
“We serve our communities by improving the quality of life through better health.”
That’s the mission statement of Covenant Health, East Tennessee’s largest integrated healthcare delivery enterprise. As a not-for-profit health system, our mission challenges us to be a strong organization that puts local communities first through wise use of our expertise and resources.
This Report to the Community highlights some of our 2022-23 accomplishments in support of Covenant Health’s mission, along with initiatives that are underway in 2024. We are proud to be at the forefront of technology innovations, training the healthcare professionals of tomorrow, actively participating in clinical trials, and making our services available to more people in our region through new facilities and partnerships.
Covenant Health is blessed by the wisdom and commitment of our board of directors and our organization’s leaders. I am especially thankful for our dedicated physicians, nurses, clinical experts, support staff and operations employees at our many locations, and for the support of our generous donors and volunteers. I’m honored to work with this team in fulfilling Covenant Health’s mission, and I appreciate your trust and confidence as we build stronger, healthier communities across our region.
Jim VanderSteeg
President and CEO
Download the report to read more.
Covenant Health is a not-for-profit, clinically integrated healthcare enterprise headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. The East Tennessee region’s largest employer, Covenant Health includes 10 hospitals, 130+ outpatient sites, and more than 90 physician practice locations.
We serve the community by improving the quality of life through better health.
Covenant Health is committed to being the region’s premier healthcare network by providing patient-centered care that inspires clinical and service excellence, making us the first and best choice for our patients, employees, physicians, employers, volunteers, and communities.
In service to God and community, we value:
Through our integrated healthcare delivery system, we’re making expert, compassionate care more accessible for our patients and guests.
We offer convenient, safe access to healthcare services via computer or mobile device. Many of our physicians offer telehealth appointments, and for immediate needs, Covenant Health offers virtual urgent care with emergency-trained providers who are available 24/7 anywhere in East Tennessee.
Virtual services at our hospitals offer advanced care for complex medical conditions and help smaller communities through remote access to specialized Covenant Health resources. Our physicians use telehealth technology to remotely monitor patients’ conditions or consult with other medical specialists. Covenant Health was the first organization to implement tele-ICU as an extra layer of care for critical care patients at our hospitals. Virtual technology is also used in areas such as neurology and cardiology, and for remote psychiatric evaluations.
In 2023 Covenant Health was the first healthcare organization in the area to launch Advanced Care at Home, a unique program that allows patients to receive around-the-clock medical care and remote monitoring in their own homes.
With Advanced Care at Home, the patient is monitored 24/7 by a team at a virtual care operations center and can communicate with a provider at any time. A mobile health team visits the patient’s home twice daily. Nurse practitioners or physician assistants make in-home visits, and treatment may include other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists.
Advanced Care at Home serves eligible patients with specific conditions like heart failure, COPD, and gastroenteritis, among others. The hospital-level support includes medication management, laboratory services, intravenous (IV) infusion services, rehabilitation therapies, oxygen treatments, X-ray, and ultrasound, all provided in the home.
Providing hospital-level care at home has been shown to increase patient satisfaction and improve outcomes, reducing readmission rates to the emergency room and shortening hospital stays.
“This is an innovative step in transforming the future of healthcare delivery,” said Mandy Grubb Halford, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Medical Informatics Officer for Covenant Health. “Advanced Care at Home is another ‘first’ in bringing virtual technology and dedicated medical professionals together to better serve our patients and communities.”
Covenant Health and its member organizations have received regional and national accolades for excellence in quality, patient safety and advanced medical care. Here are just a few of our most recent recognitions:
Covenant Health’s acute-care hospitals have received multiple “Mission Lifeline” and “Get with the Guidelines” recognitions for excellence in cardiology and stroke care.
The designations mean that the hospitals have met or exceeded treatment guidelines and protocols for patients experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
150 Top places to Work in Healthcare (named four times in recent years)
100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs
100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Orthopedic Programs
70 Hospitals and Health Systems with Spine and Neuroscience Programs to Know
Named a Best Employer eight times, including “America’s Best,” “Best Employers for Women,” Best Employers for Diversity” and “Best-in-State” categories
Covenant Health – Acute Category
Covenant Medical Group – Ambulatory Category
Covenant Medical Group – 24 medical practices recognized as Patient-Centered Medical Homes
America’s Greatest Workplaces
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Job Starters
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women
All nine Covenant Health acute-care hospitals earned “A” grades in patient safety in Spring 2024.
The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization that reports data about healthcare organizations with a focus on patient safety and helping consumers make informed decisions about healthcare.
Covenant Health has the region’s only stroke hospital network, with medical expertise and advanced technology for treating complex strokes. Our acute-care hospitals have these designations from The Joint Commission:
Acute Stroke-Ready Hospital – Claiborne Medical Center
Advanced Primary Stroke Center – Cumberland Medical Center, Fort Loudoun Medical Center, LeConte Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center, Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System, Parkwest Medical Center, Roane Medical Center
Comprehensive Stroke Center of Excellence – Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
As a not-for-profit healthcare delivery enterprise, Covenant Health is grateful for the support of many generous donors throughout East Tennessee and beyond. Covenant Health has five foundations that raise funds for services and programs for patients. These foundations are essential to fulfilling the organization’s mission of improving the quality of life through better health.
In 2023, $4,259,000 in donations were distributed to support these initiatives:
Many patients and families who have received care at Covenant Health want to show their gratitude by partnering with us to ensure excellent healthcare in our communities. Our Office of Philanthropy offers giving options ranging from support of specific programs and fund-raising events to planned giving opportunities for those desiring to include Covenant Health in their legacy and estate plans.
Thompson Cancer Survival Center patient Ann Brown and her husband, Marty, chose to create the Ann and Marty Brown Excellence Endowment at Thompson in gratitude for the care Ann received after a breast cancer diagnosis and as a source of hope for future cancer patients. Endowed gifts are a powerful way to provide long-term support, allowing charitable gifts to grow over time and create a permanent resource to serve future patients.
“A cancer diagnosis changes everything. Your mind floods with questions, and you think about your family, your future, and all the unknowns,” Ann says. “When I received my diagnosis, I was relieved to learn that Thompson Cancer Survival Center offered best-in-class treatment options right here in Knoxville. I always felt confident in my care team – they ensured I received personalized care and expertise needed for my journey. In particular, the nurse navigation program provided invaluable guidance and support, easing the complexities of treatment and empowering me to make informed decisions.
“Along with my family and my faith, my care team was a source strength, determination and hope, even on my darkest days. I am now five-plus years cancer free – praise God! Marty and I are privileged to support this program and hopeful that it will extend the same level of care, support, and compassion to countless others on their own journeys toward healing.”
Covenant Health and Thompson are so grateful to the Browns and many other generous donors who are committed to the future of excellent healthcare in our region. To learn more about how your donations can make a difference, visit www.covenanthealth.com/giving or contact the Office of Philanthropy at 865-531-5210 or [email protected].
Download the report to read more.
Covenant Health is preparing future healthcare professionals through many education initiatives:
In 2023, Covenant Health’s Methodist Medical Center announced a new program that brings medical school graduates to the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area to continue their advanced training to become family doctors. The Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program is accredited by the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The residency program is integrated with the newly opened Methodist Family Medicine Clinic in Oak Ridge, which offers family medicine and primary care services. Residents are guided by physicians and administrators as they provide care and participate in special projects.
“We are creating a top-quality program that produces well-trained community physicians who will practice family medicine,” said program director James Schindler, MD, MPH. “Residents will have the resources of Methodist Medical Center and Covenant Health, plus the amazing community of Oak Ridge, and all the latest technology and training tools at their disposal.”
The program welcomes its first class of eight residents in July 2024.
Patients at Covenant Health’s Thompson Cancer Survival Center get more than great cancer care. They benefit from groundbreaking research by a team of oncology professionals that is like no other in the region.
Thirty years after its beginnings, Covenant Health’s Thompson Cancer Survival Center remains a leader in pivotal clinical research. Research helps answer important questions, and those answers can lay the groundwork for preserving quality of life or even saving lives.
“For instance, our participation in key melanoma trials has paved the way for successful melanoma treatments used today,” says oncologist David Chism, MD, Thompson’s director of clinical research. “The results of those early trials are evident in higher survival rates for today’s melanoma patients.”
Thompson has nearly 25 active oncology trials. The research is so impactful that Thompson’s clinical trials team has been chosen to deliver findings before national organizations.
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, only about three percent of cancer patients participate in clinical trials. Dr. Chism would like research to help more current and future patients.
“Our hope is to offer better choices for these patients through clinical trial participation at home, here in Knoxville, where their family and friends can be beacons of support,” Dr. Chism says, noting that the level of care meets the high standards set by Thompson for every patient “With increased participation, more therapies and possible cures can reach those affected faster. Time matters.”
Covenant Health is committed to serving communities throughout our region by providing local services and participating in local initiatives and partnerships.
Outpatient campuses that include primary care, diagnostic centers, physical rehabilitation and urgent or emergency care opened in 2023 at Morristown-Hamblen West and Covenant Health South.
Covenant Health also has been named the health partner for Morristown Landing, a community recreation, fitness, and event center near Morristown-Hamblen South that serves the entire Morristown area. The 115,000-square-foot center includes facilities for sports, aquatics, group fitness and health education classes, programs for children, youth and seniors, and more.
In 2024, Covenant Health opened Covenant Health Therapy Center – Morristown, adding physical rehabilitation services to the offerings at Morristown Landing.
Between its opening in mid-October 2023 and mid-December 2023, Covenant Health Urgent Care visits were as high as nearly 50 visits per day during the Center’s extended hours. Covenant Health South also offers medical specialties such as cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cardiology, nephrology (kidney care), pregnancy care and women’s health, and primary care.
FUTURE GROWTH FOR URGENT CARE
Covenant Health plans to open three additional urgent care locations throughout the Knoxville area over the next couple of years.
In late 2023, Covenant Health’s Fort Loudoun Medical Center broke ground for an expansion of the 50-bed medical facility in Loudon County. In part as a result of a donation from The Brethen Foundation, the medical center is constructing a new critical care area called The Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing. The expansion will create 26 new patient rooms for both intensive and intermediate care.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place Nov. 3, 2023, with more than 100 community leaders and local officials in attendance, including the Brethen family, whose generous donation helped make the expansion possible.
The 18,000-square-foot addition also will include a nurses’ station and family waiting area, as well as an expansion of current emergency department space. The new intensive care unit and expanded emergency department are expected to open in early 2026.
“This is Your Year” was the theme of the 2023 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, which had more than 6,330 registrants in race categories that included full- and half-marathons, 2- and 4-perons relays, a 5K, hand cyclists and the Covenant Kids Run.
“We’re proud of Covenant Health’s nearly 20-year legacy as presenting sponsor of the marathon, encouraging fitness and healthy lifestyles for people of all ages,” said President and CEO Jim VanderSteeg said. “The significance of the weekend extends beyond the races – we hope that participants and observers alike are inspired to prioritize their health and help create healthier communities all year long.”
Through contributions and sponsorships, Covenant Health supports area health-related organizations, community outreach programs, programs for children and youth, economic/community leadership development, and recreation/quality of life.
As a not-for-profit health system, Covenant Health reinvests excess revenues after expenses in programs, services, technologies and facilities to improve patient care.
Over the past 10 years, Covenant Health has invested more than $1.3 billion in capital investments in the communities we serve.
As a not-for-profit health system, Covenant Health provides significant contributions to our communities through charity care and uncompensated care, and by meeting local health needs through specialized medical services. In addition, we contribute to charitable organizations and provide educational programs for health professionals. Our salaries and tax contributions support local economies in the communities we serve.
Covenant Health was named by The Lown Institute among the top 10 U.S. health systems in 2022 for “fair share spending,” or investing in local communities beyond the value of tax exemptions for our nonprofit hospitals.
2022 | $61,911,000 Charity care for 41,934 parients |
2018-2022 | $316,956,000 |
Care which costs more to provide than reimbursements from state and national programs cover
2022 | $89,967,000 |
2018-2022 | $325,921,000 |
Clinical services provided to meet community needs despite financial loss
2022 | $74,320,000 |
2018-2022 | $302,290,000 |
2022 | $1,906,745 |
2018-2022 | $9,198,869 |
Number of employees as of 12/2023: 10,480
2023 | $911,384,466 |
2019-2023 | $3,965,377,379 |
2023 | $1,360,390 |
2019-2023 | $6,961,634 |
All Counties (including Knox)
2023 | $3,687,636 |
2019-2023 | $18,291,848 |
Download the report to read more.
Covenant Health’s voluntary board of directors includes business and community leaders representing the areas we serve, along with physicians whose expertise brings an essential perspective to governance for our organization. We are grateful for our board members’ integrity, knowledge, hours of service, and ongoing commitment to Covenant Health and to improving the health of our region.
Anesthesiologist,
Parkwest Medical Center
Chief Information Officer,
Clayton
Maryville
Chairman of the Board,
Accurus Aerospace Corporation
Irving, Texas (Retired)
Stewart Lumber Company
Morristown (Retired)
Director, Community Relations
and External Engagement,
Knoxville Utilities Board
Federal Government Service,
Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Tennessee Valley Authority
(Retired)
President and CEO,
Jewelry Television
Senior Vice President
and Chief Nursing Officer,
Covenant Health (Retired)
Orthopedic Surgeon
Methodist Medical Center (Retired)
East Region President,
First Tennessee Bank
President and Managing Member,
Wagner, Myers and Sanger, PC (Retired)
CEO of Development, LHP Development
Properties Owner and
Sevier County Community Leader
Sevierville
Chairman, Knoxville Board
Capstar Bank
Owner/President,
Expoquip, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer,
KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc
CEO & Chairman,
The Cosby Harrison Company (previously TAPPCO)
GMedia and Information Services
Crossville (Retired)
Radiologist,
Chief of Radiology Dept.
and President of Group
Methodist Medical Center
President
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Vice President
Operations
Executive Vice President
Chief Financial Officer
Executive Vice President
Physician Enterprise/Ambulatory Services
General Counsel
Orthopedist
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
Hospitalist, Internal Medicine
Roane Medical Center
Emergency Medicine
Fort Loudoun Medical Center
Nephrologist
Parkwest Medical Center
Obstetrics/Gynecology
LeConte Medical Center
Cardiologist
Methodist Medical Center
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Covenant Health complies with Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability or sex.
Covenant Health cumple con las leyes federales sobre derechos civiles y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, religión, origen nacional, edad, discapacidad o sexo.