Hamblen County is unique. As part of the Lakeway Area, the region is nestled between the Smoky Mountains, Cherokee Lake, and Douglas Lake. As for locale, the county, centered around the city of Morristown, can boast proudly. As for health initiatives, the county can boaster even more proudly. According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population for 2009 was 63,033. Each of these residents can rest assured that their healthcare needs are being addressed: The county ranks 13^th in the state for access to medical doctors and 14^th in the state for hospital beds per population (2007-2008 data, www.TN.gov), perhaps in part due to Morristown's three large health systems—Healthstar Physicians, Lakeway Regional Hospital, and Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System (MHHS). And while a competitive spirit may be expected from such close quartered medical facilities, the opposite is true for this community-centered area. While healthy competition does exist, the three systems work together to provide the best possible care to the citizens of the Lakeway region.

 

Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System (MHHS), a 167-bed facility, has six Centers of Excellence, including Heart, Lung and Vascular Center, Women's Center, Morristown Regional Cancer Center, Surgery Center, Joint and Spine Center, and Emergency and Critical Care Services. MHHS is currently in the process of being acquired by Covenant Health, which will add another network of resources to the region, including six acute care hospitals in East Tennessee; Peninsula Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Blount County; and numerous outpatient services and clinics. The merger includes a seven-year capital commitment with a total investment of almost $100 million by Covenant Health. The investment will improve and expand MHHS facilities, medical and information technology, medical services, and physician specialties.

 

 

Lakeway Regional Hospital, a 135-bed facility, has 78 active and 46 courtesy physicians. With over 390 hospital employees, Lakeway wants to be a vital part of the community and does so with initiatives such as the Healthy Women program. Healthy Women, celebrating its 5^th-year anniversary, hosts monthly informational luncheons free of charge for members of the Lakeway area. According to Brittany Johns, Lakeway's marketing manager, prevention is key, and the hospital feels it is an honor to help, even if just one person, detect and cure a medical problem. "The program informs the community with up-to-date health information," said Johns. "It also provides a social time for attendees and can help connect them with physicians and specialists in the area. They can 'get a feel' if the person is right for them."

 

The program has 2600 members, and approximately 230-250 women attend the luncheons, which are held the 2^nd Tuesday of each month. More information about the free membership and luncheon reservations is available at www.lakewayregionalhospital.com.

 

Healthstar Physicians, P.C., a multi-specialty physicians group, is comprised of 40 physicians and 17 mid-level providers representing 18 specialties. Currently celebrating its 15-year anniversary, Healthstar services both Morristown-Hamblen and Lakeway, as well as Jefferson Memorial Hospital and Wellmont-Hawkins County Memorial Hospital.

 

 

The directive of the HealthStar Foundation is to focus on teen pregnancy prevention, obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, and smoking cessation. Some of the initiatives the Foundation has funded include donations of over $5,500 over the past 6 years to assist Project Graduation; support of the Tennessee Technology Nursing program with $2,500 towards their efforts to provide qualified employees to local healthcare providers; assistance to Y.E.S. (Youth Emergency Shelter) by providing materials to the youth living at the shelter that educate them on drug and alcohol abuse, smoking cessation and teen pregnancy; a donation of $10,000 to the Hamblen County School System to purchase materials and train the Teen Living teachers at each middle school; a grant of $4,800 to the Helping Hands Clinic to purchase software that enables them to apply for free and reduced medicines/prescriptions for the patients of this free clinic; and a grant to the Hamblen County Health Council for $2,500 in support of after school programs to engage the youth in physical activities and educate them on proper nutrition.

 

The Helping Hands Clinic, Inc. has a mission to provide free medical care to the residents and employees of Hamblen County who have no medical insurance and whose household income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

 

During 2009, the 13 volunteer medical professionals provided care for 2,229 patient visits. The value of that care is calculated to be more than $130,000 if it had been delivered in a private office. It would have been more than double that figure if the care had been delivered in an emergency room (typically the only other venue open to patients). The clinic has more than 4,500 patients registered to date. During 2009, they have referred 200 patients to 33 volunteer specialists who have treated them at no charge or for a small copay. Locally owned pharmacies have agreed to fill the prescriptions of the patients at their cost.