Updated with statement from Tennova, additional details.

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Following reports Thursday that Vanderbilt University Medical Center plans to acquire Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville, VUMC issued a press release Friday morning, adding that leadership wanted to inform all staff members before making the announcement.

VUMC plans to acquire full ownership of Tennova-Clarksville from subsidiaries of Community Health Systems Inc. for $600 million. Since 2021, VUMC has held a 20% minority interest in the hospital, its freestanding emergency department and related physician practices.

“Full acquisition of the Clarksville hospital strengthens VUMC’s ability to serve patients across the region, supporting the Medical Center’s strategy to provide high-quality care for patients with less complex needs in more convenient, community settings that are also more cost-effective,” the release said.

Welcome to Vanderbilt Health network

The 270-bed Clarksville facility will become the newest member of Vanderbilt Health’s network of regional medical centers in Tennessee, joining:

  • Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital in Lebanon (2019)
  • Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital in Coffee County (2021)
  • Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital in Shelbyville (2021)

The new name for Tennova has not been announced.

“With a strong record of growth and investment in people, programs and services for its Regional Hospitals, residents of Clarksville, Montgomery County and the surrounding region can expect that VUMC will bring a host of adult and pediatric services to the area,” the release said.

VUMC plans “to hire substantially all employees” of Tennova “who are in good standing when transfer of the hospital’s ownership is complete.”

| PREVIOUSLY: How we got to Tennova: Clarksville’s hospital ownership history | ANALYSIS

“Expanding our services in Clarksville allows us to better serve the health care needs of this rapidly growing area,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of VUMC and dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “As we have in the other communities where we have purchased hospitals, we are making a serious commitment to the citizens of Montgomery County to deliver high-quality care close to home.”

The transaction is expected to be complete in early 2026, pending regulatory approval.

Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville CEO Drew Emery said in a statement to Clarksville Now, “This is a natural extension of the partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center that has elevated healthcare in Clarksville, Montgomery County and the surrounding region for many years. Our caregiving team has worked alongside VUMC’s specialty providers and we have a shared commitment to delivering quality, compassionate care that will continue into the future.”

Vanderbilt’s current presence in Clarksville

Certain services are already established. During their multiyear partnership, Tennova and VUMC have introduced an OB-GYN hospitalist program, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center radiation oncology services, and neonatal care in the hospital’s Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by specialists with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Also, Vanderbilt’s LifeFlight helicopter service is established with Montgomery County for certain critical emergency cases.

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“Integrating the Clarksville hospital into our regional network is an exciting step forward,” said Jane Freedman, MD, deputy chief executive officer and chief Health System officer for VUMC. “We look forward to collaborating with the dedicated physicians, nurses and staff to support the community and expand access to care.”

Growing competition for hospitals in Clarksville

The move comes in the wake of a surge of interest in the health care business in Clarksville.

In July, Ascension Saint Thomas was granted a state Certificate of Need to build a 44-bed hospital in Clarksville, expandable to 132 beds. The $148.5 million investment will create approximately 250 healthcare jobs, and it’s expected to open in 2028.

At the same hearing, TriStar Health, part of Brentwood-based HCA Healthcare, was approved for a 68-bed hospital, expandable to 224 beds, on a site on the south side of Tiny Town Road. The $286 million investment will create more than 200 healthcare jobs and serve both Montgomery and Stewart counties.

Tennova Healthcare unsuccessfully opposed both hospitals, arguing that they were not needed and would be duplicative to existing services.

In August, Tennova was denied state permission to shift a planned satellite hospital to a desired location at Exit 11. Tennova had been granted a CON in 2021 to build an additional 12-bed satellite hospital with a 14-bay ER on Trenton Road. That hospital was never built, and Tennova wanted to move it to a spot next to their Exit 11 Sango ER. That location is also next to the planned Ascension Saint Thomas campus.

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