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Covenant Health has announced that a Middle Tennessee healthcare organization, Frank T. Rutherford Memorial Hospitals, Inc., has merged with the Knoxville-based system effective Jan. 1, 1998. Frank T. Rutherford Memorial Hospitals, Inc. (FTR) includes Carthage General Hospital in Carthage and nearby Trousdale Medical Center, along with several EMS services, clinics and home health agencies.
Covenant Health is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, insurance companies and other health-related organizations statewide. The merger brings the total of hospital members in Covenant Health to eight. In addition to the newly affiliated Middle Tennessee facilities, other hospital members of Covenant Health are:
Covenant Health president and CEO Alan Guy expressed enthusiasm for the FTR affiliation.
"Our goal is to develop an integrated delivery system to serve the people of Tennessee," he said. "To that end, we seek affiliation partners with a tradition of providing high-quality care and which are committed to making a difference in the health and lives of people in their communities. We're delighted that the hospitals in Carthage and Trousdale will be the first member organizations of Covenant Health in Middle Tennessee."
Covenant Health and FTR have already been working together for the past year to establish the Plateau Health Network (PHN) in Middle Tennessee. PHN, which is jointly owned by Covenant Health, FTR, and six other Middle Tennessee hospitals, is a managed care contracting company.
FTR administrator Wayne Winfree announced the affiliation this week to FTR employees and community business leaders.
Speaking Monday to employees at the two hospitals, Winfree said, "I am excited about what this merger will mean to our patients, our employees, and to the communities we serve. For some time the board has been seeking the ideal affiliation partner for FTR. We looked for an organization that, first of all, shares our not-for-profit mission and values. We also wanted a partner that could help us maintain stability in a changing healthcare marketplace, and which offered us opportunities for growth in facilities and services. Covenant Health fit all those criteria, and I'm very pleased that this affiliation has taken place."
At Winfree's side was Dorothy Rutherford, former FTR administrator and wife of the late Frank T. Rutherford, founder of FTR.
Mrs. Rutherford, who is the current chairman of the FTR Board, echoed Winfree's comments and added, "As a member organization of Covenant Health, we'll be able to retain local oversight and control of our facilities. At the same time, we'll benefit from the resources of a strong parent organization."
Covenant Health executive vice president and chief operating officer Joe McDonald said the current FTR management team, headed by Winfree, will remain in place, continuing a tradition of strong leadership for the hospitals and within the community. Both Winfree and McDonald confirmed that the merger will not impact FTR employees' current positions, pay or benefits.
The current FTR Board will be expanded to nine members to ensure continued local responsibility and control of hospital operations.
Elaborating on the reasons for FTR's decision to affiliate with Covenant Health, Winfree said, "Membership in a multi-hospital delivery system brings us benefits such as large-volume purchasing discounts, a built-in network for sharing technical and clinical expertise, and access to capital dollars for expanding healthcare services and facilities in Smith and Trousdale counties. Those benefits will have a positive impact on our patients and our communities."He added, "As the healthcare industry evolves in Tennessee and the nation, FTR needs to be part of a large health system with managed care expertise and clout. Increasingly, access to healthcare is controlled through large contracts with insurance companies and other managed care organizations." Covenant Health owns insurance companies which manage the care of more than one million Tennesseans.
"Very importantly, our decision to merge with Covenant Health was influenced by our common commitment to not-for-profit healthcare and to improving the health of the communities we serve," Winfree said.
One of the first major efforts to be undertaken jointly by FTR and Covenant Health in 1998 will be a comprehensive community health assessment to identify health-related needs and goals in Smith and Trousdale counties. The assessment will be coordinated with efforts of other community health agencies. Local community leaders and task forces will then work together to develop and implement community health improvement projects funded through grants from Covenant Health. Covenant Health has been recognized nationally for its mobilization of communities at the grass-roots level to tackle health and quality of life issues.
In addition to hospitals, Covenant Health's primary member organizations include
Covenant Health operates physician clinics throughout East Tennessee.
Covenant Health also owns PHP Companies, Inc., a managed care company with indemnity, PPO, POS, and HMO insurance products. With the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Covenant Health jointly owns Tennessee Health Partnership, also a managed care company. Covenant Health also owns Tennessee Behavioral Health, a statewide managed care company covering behavioral health services.
Covenant Health includes over 1500 licensed hospital beds, more than 1,700 physicians, and over 8,000 employees. Working together, these healthcare professionals deliver quality care through approximately 600,000 inpatient and outpatient visits annually. Covenant Health serves another 50,000 people each year in health screenings, educational classes, support groups and other wellness activities offered throughout East Tennessee.
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130 Lebanon Highway
Carthage, TN 37030
(615) 735-9815
Wayne Winfree, Chief Executive Officer/Administrator
Don Downey, Chief Operations Officer
Since 1966, when Dr. Frank T. Rutherford built Carthage General Hospital, the organization has been committed to providing quality local health care services to people of all ages. Named one of the top 20 rural hospitals in the United States and one of the top 100 hospitals in the country for the last two years, Carthage General Hospital has grown with the community in size and technological advancement.
The hospital provides birthing services, inpatient/outpatient services, and a 24-hour emergency care service. Besides nuclear medicine, the radiology department provides mammography, CT and ultrasound services. CGH also provides respiratory, physical therapy and lab services.
Located adjacent to the hospital is Carthage Family Practice Specialists, which provides family-focused health care and on-site specialty care clinics in areas such as ear, nose and throat; cardiology; pulmonary; urology; oncology; podiatry; physiatry; orthopedics, and cardiovascular care. Psychotherapy services are also available.
CGH-Home Health serves Smith, Macon, Wilson, Dekalb, Putnam, Sumner, and Jackson counties. In addition to skilled nursing, oncology and psychiatry services, physical therapy and respiratory services also are available.
Frank T. Rutherford Memorial Hospitals also operates emergency medical services in Clay and Dekalb counties and the Red Springs Medical Clinic in Macon County.
Most recently, REBOS, an outpatient alcohol and drug rehab program, was added to the services of FTRMH. The program offers intensive outpatient therapy in convenient locations so individuals can benefit from the support of family and friends.
500 Church Street, Hartsville, TN 37074
(615) 374-2221
Jack McCall, Administrator
Providing quality health care for the heart of Tennessee, Trousdale Medical Center is a 34-bed acute care unit. The hospital features a 24-hour emergency room that was completely remodeled in 1995. Patient rooms and equipment also were updated, enabling TMC to offer more services to the surrounding area.
Committed to providing local quality health care services, Trousdale Medical Center offers respiratory and physical therapy and radiology. Surgical services include inpatient and outpatient services, endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery. Specialty clinics including cardiology services are also available.
Frank T. Rutherford Memorial Hospitals also operates the Trousdale Medical Center Emergency Medical Services, providing a team of paramedics and EMTs ready to respond in emergencies.
TMC Home Health provides 24-hour services including skilled nursing, oncology and psychiatry services, physical and respiratory therapy. The agency serves Smith, Macon, Wilson, Dekalb, Putnam, Sumner and Jackson counties.
Physicians services are available through Trousdale Medical Clinic.