Health Care System Grant Projects Making Regional and Local Impact on Patient Services & Facilities

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s Health Commissioner is celebrating the commitment of two Tennessee health care systems – Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville and Regional One Health in Memphis – for their projects dedicated to expanding access to quality health care facilities and services for patients using grant funding provided through the Tennessee Department of Health’s Healthcare Resiliency Program.

“Ensuring access to quality health care facilities and services is crucial for Tennessee’s regions and local communities,” Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP said. “By fostering strong leadership in both the public and private sectors, we can transform the culture of health and healthcare in our state, setting Tennessee as a leading example in the Southeast for meeting the needs of our citizens in the places where they live, work, play, and worship.”

Ascension Saint Thomas is devoting $15 million of HRP grant awards to two projects serving patients in Middle Tennessee. The first project will use $11 million from the HRP to increase the number of critical care beds at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, 300 21st Ave. N., in Nashville.

For its second project, Ascension Saint Thomas Medical Partners will apply $4 million of the HRP grant award to place community health workers and clinical staff in primary care settings in nine Tennessee counties, including Davidson, Hickman, Rutherford, Putnam, Sumner, Warren, White, Williamson, Wilson.

“At Ascension Saint Thomas, we are deeply committed to meeting the growing healthcare needs of people throughout Middle Tennessee,” said Fahad Tahir, President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas. “This funding enables us to expand critical services, enhancing our ability to meet the growing needs of our community. We are proud to partner with the State of Tennessee in this important initiative that strengthens healthcare resiliency and equity across the region.”

Regional One Health also has two projects planned for its $4.5 million HRP grant award. Regional One Health will use $2.9 million to add seven beds to its post-acute care unit at Regional Medical Center, 877 Jefferson Ave., in Memphis, and a trauma-vascular operating room to keep its main trauma OR available for incoming emergencies.

Using $1.6 million of its HRP grant award, Regional One Health launched a new MOM: Maternal Model Program providing medical and social services for at-risk mothers who visit the medical center’s obstetric emergency department.

“We are extremely grateful for the Healthcare Resiliency Program funds received at Regional One Health. The positive impact of this investment in this community and our patients’ lives is significant and appreciated,” said Tammie Ritchey, Sr. VP, Chief Development Officer, Regional One Health. “Through advanced technology in our operating and recovery rooms and the creation of a specially designed program to help our at-risk pregnant mothers, these funds will help us better serve our patients as we relentlessly work to provide top-tier care every day.”

TDH’s HRP grant program is the result of the Tennessee Resiliency Plan with oversight from the Tennessee Financial Stimulus Accountability Group, a bipartisan legislative and executive branch committee charged with planning the use of federal funding available to states through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Tennessee received $3.9 billion in total ARPA funds, with $230 million committed to TDH for healthcare modernization and transformation projects.