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Fort Loudoun Medical Center Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting for Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing 

  • 4 minute read.
  • Last Updated: 9/26/2025

Expansion Provides All Private Room Patient Care, Community Open House Oct. 5 

Covenant Health’s Fort Loudoun Medical Center celebrated a significant milestone on September 25 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly expanded Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing.  

Covenant Health President and Chief Executive Officer Jim VanderSteeg expressed, “This project reflects the power of community partnership and the generosity of donors like David and Colleen Brethen. Together, we are advancing healthcare for Loudon County and beyond, ensuring our patients have access to the very best care close to home.” 

This $15 million expansion was made possible through a $5.9 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Health Resiliency Program, along with generous contributions from David and Colleen Brethen through the Brethen Foundation and other community donors. The expansion brings all-private patient rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology and innovative features. 

Local leaders, including Dr. John Dunn of the Tennessee Department of Health, Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw and representatives from the Brethen Foundation, joined hospital staff and supporters to celebrate the expansion. The ceremony recognized the collaborative spirit and philanthropic support that made the project possible. 

“This expansion is a dream realized for our community,” said Connie Martin, president and chief administrative officer of Fort Loudoun Medical Center. “We’re proud to open our doors and show how these new spaces will improve lives through better health.”  

The Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing adds 26 private patient rooms, a state-of-the-art 11-bed intensive care unit, and nearly 20,000 square feet of new space. 

Seven people stand in a row, smiling and holding a ceremonial ribbon in front of a brick wall that reads The Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing. Some hold large scissors, indicating a ribbon-cutting event.
A group of people stands in front of a brick wall under a sign reading “The Brethen Foundation Advanced Care Wing,” holding a ribbon for a ceremonial cutting. Most are smiling and dressed in business or semi-formal attire.

New Innovations and Features: 

  • Embedded support services for real-time collaboration 
  • Private discharge and pick-up area for dignified patient transitions 
  • Smart room design for faster nurse access and family comfort 
  • Tele-ICU technology connecting patients to remote specialists 
  • Flexible care model supporting intensive and step-down care 
  • Therapy gym for physical, speech, and occupational therapy 
  • Recharge rooms and family lounges for well-being 
  • Expanded services including dialysis, enhanced cardiology, orthopedic surgery, and pneumatic tube system for faster lab and pharmacy workflows 
  • Two landscaped outdoor courtyards for patients and families

Community Open House, Oct. 5:  

The community is invited to tour the new facility during a community open house on Sunday, October 5, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 550 Fort Loudoun Medical Center Drive in Lenoir City. Attendees will be among the first to experience the new spaces before they officially open to patients. The event will feature guided tours and opportunities to meet hospital employees. 

A man in a suit speaks at a podium to an audience, with another man seated nearby. Behind them is a large balloon display in red, white, and blue, forming a swirling pattern, against a brick wall.
A group of people sit attentively at an indoor event. Two men in suits with beards are in the foreground, while other attendees, both men and women, are seated and standing in the background.

About Covenant Health 

Covenant Health is a Tennessee-based healthcare enterprise committed to providing the right care at the right time and place. As a not-for-profit health system, we are dedicated to being the region’s premier healthcare network through service, community and innovation. We provide patient-centered care that inspires clinical and service excellence and strive to be the first and best choice for our patients, employees, physicians, employers, volunteers and communities. Covenant Health is the area’s largest employer and has more than 11,000 compassionate caregivers, expert clinicians, and dedicated employees and volunteers. Learn more at http://www.covenanthealth.com/. To learn more about Fort Loudoun Medical Center, visit the https://www.covenanthealth.com/fort-loudoun/ 

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