With the Tennessee General Assembly’s current session winding down, there is little time left for local lawmakers to bring forward legislation allowing Erlanger Health System to become a non-governmental entity.
On March 2, the Hamilton County Commission unanimously passed a resolution requesting that the legislative delegation propose an amendment to the 1976 private act that created the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority – commonly known as Erlanger Health System.
The resolution asked for an amendment that would allow the county to evaluate whether the continued operation of Erlanger as a hospital authority – which is a public entity governed by a politically-appointed board of trustees – is “an effective or beneficial governmental function.”
Both Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and Erlanger’s Board of Trustees have said they believe transitioning the health system, which is the Chattanooga region’s only safety net hospital and academic medical center, to independent nonprofit governance would help Erlanger compete against the area’s private hospitals.
Coppinger said he was told the county’s request is still under consideration.