Physicians Regional Medical Center and Lakeway Regional Hospital Finalize Plans to Close by the End of the Year
12/27/2018
KNOXVILLE, TENN (December 27, 2018) – Tennova Healthcare in East Tennessee is finalizing steps to end operations of Physicians Regional Medical Center on Oak Hill Avenue in Knoxville and Lakeway Regional Hospital in Morristown by the end of this year. As part of a strategic reorganization of services announced in January, Tennova is growing capacity at its North Knoxville Medical Center and Turkey Creek Medical Center campuses and enhancing services at its affiliated hospitals in Jefferson City, LaFollette and Newport.
All services at Physicians Regional Medical Center, formerly known as St. Mary’s Hospital, and Lakeway Regional Hospital will permanently end at 11:59 p.m. on December 28, 2018. A wide range of services, medical providers and advanced technology have already relocated to other Tennova facilities in advance of the hospital closures. Physicians Regional Medical Center and Lakeway Regional Hospital are no longer admitting new patients.
“We have been working very closely with our medical staff, local EMS/first responders and other area providers to ensure a smooth transition of care for our patients,” said Tony Benton, chief executive officer for Tennova Healthcare in East Tennessee. “Our teams across the region have done exceptional work caring for our patients, their families and each other while we have undergone construction, moved services and transitioned to different work sites.”
According to Benton, the decision to close the Physicians Regional and Lakeway locations, strengthen its other network facilities, and pursue new outpatient strategies is designed to meet the needs and preferences of today’s healthcare consumers and support the way physicians prefer to practice. “Delivering care in modern facilities designed to support current medical practices will best serve our patients and the community going forward,” Benton said.
Across the Network
Multiple construction projects this year have increased capacity for services at Tennova’s hospitals in Powell and Farragut. Construction is continuing with completion projected for next summer.
North Knoxville Medical Center has renovated and reconfigured existing space to add cardiac catheterization laboratories and operating rooms to help accommodate cardiac care as well as general, orthopedic, joint replacement, and other surgeries from Physicians Regional. In addition to advanced diagnostic equipment, two surgical robots have been moved from Physician Regional to the Powell hospital. Additional capacity for complex surgeries as well as childbirth services is being added, with construction targeted to be complete next summer.
Turkey Creek Medical Center has increased the number of general medical/surgical beds, created additional operating rooms, and added intensive care unit beds to accommodate increased and more complex general and cardiovascular surgical cases. The hospital is also enhancing it orthopedics program with the addition of new technology for joint replacement surgeries. Open heart surgery and neurosurgery services have been consolidated at Turkey Creek. A new cardiovascular intensive care unit is targeted to be complete in spring 2019.
Enhancements are also being made at Tennova’s hospitals in Jefferson City, LaFollette and Newport to strengthen medical services and provide higher acuity care, including recruitment of more providers to practice in the communities. Diagnostic imaging technology and other patient care equipment have been relocated to the community hospitals.
Medical Records
Medical records will be retained by Tennova Healthcare per State of Tennessee retention guidelines.
Patients may request medical records created at Physicians Regional Medical Center by contacting North Knoxville Medical Center, 7565 Dannaher Drive, Powell, TN 37849.
HIMS Release of Information
Phone number: (865) 859-1301
Fax number: (865) 859-1329
MAMMOGRAPHY PATIENTS: The custodian of mammography films for Physicians Regional Medical Center will be North Knoxville Medical Center. Patients should call (865) 859-7050 at the time of their next mammography appointment to have images sent to the facility where the mammogram will be performed or provide this information to the facility where the mammogram is scheduled so they can obtain the images.
Patients may request medical records created at Lakeway Regional Hospital by contacting Jefferson Memorial Hospital, 110 Hospital Drive, Suite G-10, Jefferson City, TN 37760.
HIMS Release of Information
Phone number: (865) 471-2422
Fax number: (865) 471-2543
MAMMOGRAPHY PATIENTS: The custodian of mammography films for Lakeway Regional Hospital will be Jefferson Memorial Hospital. Patients should call (865) 471-2650 at the time of their next mammography appointment to have images sent to the facility where the mammogram will be performed or provide this information to the facility where the mammogram is scheduled so they can obtain the images.
Please note the request for medical records must be in writing and copy fees may apply.
Looking Forward
In addition to transitioning medical services to the Turkey Creek and North Knoxville medical centers, Tennova will be relocating 18 licensed inpatient rehabilitation beds from the Physicians Regional campus to a new site at 7447 Andersonville Pike, Knoxville. The rehabilitation facility will operate as a satellite department of North Knoxville Medical Center and is targeted to open in the first half of 2019, pending regulatory approval.
The health system is also continuing in its work with local physician partners to pursue opportunities to develop new outpatient care sites and medical offices, including the Middlebrook Pike property. These developments will be announced as plans are finalized.
“From the time of our founding in 1930 by a dedicated group of religious sisters, physicians and community leaders and through the years to today, we have remained committed to serving our patients and their families with compassionate, quality care,” Benton said. “As we approach the New Year and a new chapter for Tennova, we look forward to continuing our tradition of caring and evolving to provide people across the region with more ways to access advanced care, services and technology.”
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