Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health and Bradley Medical Center have signed a letter of intent to explore a strategic partnership focused on expanding pediatric emergency services — a move that comes amid HCA Healthcare’s push to grow its footprint in the region.
The agreement builds on an existing relationship between Cleveland, Tenn.-based Bradley Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. Leaders at both organizations said the collaboration would strengthen locally coordinated pediatric emergency care for families in Bradley and Polk counties.
“Our community deserves care that is connected, compassionate and close to home,” Bradley Medical Center President and CEO Lisa Lovelace said in a Jan. 16 news release. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to expand healthcare resources, including the reopening of 10 emergency room beds at our Westside campus and the opportunity for expanded pediatric emergency services.”
Bradley Medical Center is part of Dalton, Ga.-based Vitruvian Health, which acquired the hospital in 2024 and has since announced a 10-year facility growth plan. The health system has taken a vocal stance against Parkridge Medical Center’s proposed freestanding emergency department in Bradley County. Parkridge Medical Center is an affiliate of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA, the largest for-profit hospital operator in the country.
Vitruvian has launched an online petition and public campaign urging state officials to reject the certificate of need for the facility, arguing it would fragment care and increase costs. By working on an expanded partnership, Bradley Medical Center and Erlanger are emphasizing coordinated, nonprofit-driven care in the area.
“Our healthcare environment is evolving, and meeting that change responsibly requires collaboration, trust and a shared sense of purpose,” Erlanger CEO Jim Coleman Jr. said. “This LOI gives us the opportunity to explore a partnership built on common values — one that puts patients first, supports caregivers and strengthens local care delivery for the long term.”
The letter of intent outlines a process for due diligence around pediatric emergency care, with no immediate changes to services or staffing. Any future partnership would require board and regulatory approvals.
Meanwhile, HCA leaders maintain that the area’s growing population justifies a second emergency department. Parkridge Health System CEO Chris Cosby told Becker’s that “adding a second, full-service ER helps relieve pressure, lowers wait times, and adds competition that raises the standard of emergency care for everyone.”
A final decision on Parkridge’s proposed facility is expected from the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission later this month.
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