CHI Memorial confident in Georgia hospital approval despite Parkridge opposition
CHI Memorial officials said they're confident state regulators will approve their plan to build a new hospital in Catoosa County, Georgia, despite a nearby Ten…
Stories by Elizabeth Fite
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Public health leader, former Chattanooga mayoral candidate Howard Roddy dies
Howard Roddy, a former vice president at CHI Memorial Hospital and longtime administrator of the Hamilton County Health Department, died Sunday at 72.
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Erlanger board adopts conflict of interest exemption to bylaws
The Erlanger Health System Board of Trustees approved two changes to the group's bylaws Thursday, one of which allows trustees to be employed by or contract wi…
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Erlanger board bylaw changes would allow conflict-of-interest exemptions
The Erlanger Health System Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on whether to amend its bylaws to allow trustees to be employed by or under contract with the h…
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Hamilton Health Care System thriving, attracting top talent
DALTON, Ga. - What if your doctor's office was a treehouse full of toys with an exam room with a porcupine theme?
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Hamilton County delegation reviewing plans to make Erlanger private
The next step toward transitioning Erlanger Health System from a governmental entity to an independent nonprofit organization lies with Hamilton County's legis…
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Erlanger's Will Jackson a finalist in South Florida hospital CEO search
Dr. Will Jackson, president and CEO of Erlanger Health System, is one of four finalists in the CEO search for one of South Florida's largest public hospitals.
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As pandemic eases in Chattanooga, wastewater sentry stays alert for next surge
Each Monday, Gabriel Perez goes through the methodical process of preparing, collecting and shipping raw sewage samples from Chattanooga's Moccasin Bend Wastew…
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The pros and cons of permanent daylight saving time for Chattanoogans
With winter in the rearview, many Chattanoogans are enjoying the warmer weather and extra hour of evening sunshine afforded by clocks "springing forward" on th…
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COVID-19 pandemic hits two-year mark in Hamilton County with easing of case counts
It's been two years since Hamilton County reported its first COVID-19 case, and though the pandemic isn't over, concerns over the coronavirus have largely shif…
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Chattanooga: More than 3,300 Hamilton County residents got COVID-19 shots thanks to 'Vax 4 Cash'
About 3,340 Hamilton County residents became fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a result of Chattanooga's "Vax 4 Cash Sweepstakes," according to a news relea…
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Erlanger answers: Who owns Chattanooga's public hospital?
Many local leaders call Erlanger Health System Hamilton County's greatest asset, but neither the county nor the city technically own the 131-year-old public ho…
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Next step in Erlanger transition lies with Hamilton County commissioners
The next step toward transitioning Erlanger Health System from a governmental entity to an independent nonprofit organization will take place at next week's Ha…
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Tennessee sees boost in oral antiviral, antibody treatment supply for COVID-19
Tennessee's supply of COVID-19 treatments to keep high-risk patients out of hospitals is rebounding following a period of scarcity during the omicron surge.
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Chattanoga-area COVID-19 testing options shrinking even as positive rates remain high
Some community providers are scaling back COVID-19 testing and vaccination services - at least for now - as the omicron surge looks to be subsiding.
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Response positive to Erlanger's proposed move to nonprofit, so far
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said so far the community is responding well to the county's effort to transition Erlanger Health System from a governmenta…
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Chattanooga medical officials say blood donors needed urgently
Medical leaders are pleading with the community to help bolster the local blood supply for when disaster strikes as low blood donor turnout persists.
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Tennessee ends most COVID-19 contact tracing
The Tennessee Department of Health will stop investigating the vast majority of COVID-19 cases and instead focus contact tracing efforts on high-risk settings …
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Hamilton County's record COVID-19 case levels persist, 1,000 deaths surpassed
The weekly average for new COVID-19 cases in Hamilton County is at its highest point of the pandemic so far as the highly-contagious omicron variant continues …
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United Way Chattanooga transitions to competitive funding approach
As it begins to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the United Way of Greater Chattanooga has redesigned how the nonprofit determines where to invest its money in…
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Baylor School parents, alumni express concern over COVID-19 measures
A group of Baylor School parents and alumni - who also happen to be medical professionals - are concerned by what they see as lax COVID-19 prevention protocols…
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Study: Chattanoogans needing ICU beds face challenges amid omicron surge
All Southeast Tennesseans who need an intensive care unit bed - not just those with COVID-19 - could face drive times up to three times longer to get life-savi…
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Erlanger 2nd quarter results outperform budget despite COVID-19, other issues
Erlanger Health System finished the second quarter of the 2022 fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, with $11.5 million net income from operatio…
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Chattanooga hospitals in peril over omicron as Tennessee governor denies emergency need
Gov. Bill Lee said this past week there's no need to declare a state of emergency, as Chattanooga hospitals and health care providers reported being pushed to …
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Mail-order COVID-19 tests are now available. Here's what Chattanoogans need to know.
American households can now order free, at-home COVID-19 tests - which many across the Chattanooga region have struggled to find amid the current omicron surge…
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2021 COVID-19 death toll in Hamilton County exceeds 2020 due to delta variant, low vaccination rate
Updated COVID-19 mortality data from the Tennessee Department of Health reveals that September 2021 - the height of the delta surge that affected on average yo…
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Hamilton County schools wrestle with staffing amid omicron surge
Staffing concerns are top of mind for Hamilton County Schools officials as the district kicked off the new year and a new semester amid a COVID-19 surge fueled…
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First case of 'flurona' -- flu and coronavirus -- reported in Hamilton County
At least one case of someone infected with both influenza and coronavirus - a condition being dubbed "flurona" - has been detected in Hamilton County, accordin…
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Tennessee ending daily COVID-19 data reports in 2022 as omicron drives record case surge
Starting in the new year, the Tennessee Department of Health will stop reporting COVID-19 data on a daily basis and move to weekly updates instead at a time wh…
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Chattanoogans continue charitable trends in 2021 as need grows, donor preferences evolve
After a record year of giving in 2020, ongoing pandemic recovery, equity and social justice stayed top of mind, and Chattanoogans reached into their pockets to…
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What to know about Tennessee's new COVID-19 breakthrough case data
As the omicron variant drives an increasing number of COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated people, a new data dashboard from the Tennessee Department of Hea…
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Tennessee faces omicron surge with 'extremely scarce' supply of antibodies, other COVID-19 treatments
Tennessee health officials are scrambling to increase depleted stock of monoclonal antibody treatments amid a nationwide shortage as all but one version of the…
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COVID-19 bouts set family back, and Neediest Cases aid will make a better 2022
The coronavirus pandemic hit Felicia Pace's six-person family especially hard.
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Omicron drives Chattanooga region COVID-19 spike, over 95% of new cases due to the new variant
Less than a month since it was first detected in the United States, the new omicron variant of the coronavirus has by far taken over as the dominant strain in …
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Tennessee nears 21,000 COVID-19 deaths after state review finds 2,700 additional fatalities
More than 20,000 Tennesseans have died because of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, but almost 2,700 of those lives lost are just now coming to light as the s…
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Chattanooga government does not reflect the city's diversity, new data show
New data from the city of Chattanooga reveals large gender and racial disparities in portions of local government tasked with making key decisions on how the c…
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A year of 'liquid gold': The ups and downs of the vaccine rollout in Hamilton County
COVID-19 vaccines were called "liquid gold" when the first shipment arrived in Chattanooga a year ago.
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Health officials: Omicron variant now in Hamilton County
The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been reported in Hamilton County, health department officials confirmed Thursday, though it's likely been spreading …
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Tennessee medical board drops COVID-19 misinformation policy from website
The state board that oversees licensed Tennessee physicians voted during a special session Tuesday to remove a policy from its website stating that physicians …
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Antiviral COVID-19 pills could reach Tennessee next week
Long-awaited oral antiviral pills to combat mild to moderate COVID-19 at home could be available in Tennessee as soon as next week, according to the state's to…
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Tennessee's COVID-19 variant testing lags as omicron cases grow
Tennessee's ability to detect the presence of coronavirus variants remains extremely limited as the new variant omicron draws worldwide attention, leaving publ…
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COVID-19 cases on the upswing in the Chattanooga area after two months of decline
After over two months of steady improvement, key metrics used to track the Chattanooga region's COVID-19 outbreak have risen slightly over the past week.
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Erlanger's chief-of-staff ouster draws concern from doctors elsewhere
The Erlanger Board of Trustees' decision last month to remove the hospital's chief of staff is drawing concern from physicians even outside the health system. …
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COVID-19 vaccine rates for children vary around Southeast Tennessee
Dora Rangel, a mother living in Murray County, Georgia, said she never questioned her choice to get her children vaccinated against COVID-19. She also said it …
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Erlanger Health System's pension fund jumps from 36% to 50% funding
Erlanger Health System's pension fund - which just over a year ago sat critically underfunded at 36% - is now more than 50% funded thanks to a strong year of e…
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Hamilton County Schools says it can't enforce COVID-19 quarantines of individuals as a result of new state laws
Hamilton County Schools and other public school districts in Tennessee can no longer stop students who are exposed to or who test positive for COVID-19 from at…
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Coleman selected to replace Mines as chair of Erlanger Board of Trustees
Erlanger Health System's 11-member board of trustees has voted to move its budget and finance committee chair Jim Coleman into the board's top position.
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Erlanger physicians still reeling over chief of staff removal
Medical staff officers at Erlanger Health System are frustrated by what they believe was a lack of due process and transparency behind the public hospital boar…
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Following CHI Memorial's lead, more Chattanooga area hospitals are moving to require employee COVID-19 vaccinations
Three months after CHI Memorial announced it would require workforce COVID-19 vaccinations, Chattanooga's other two major hospital systems are quietly moving a…
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UTC drops mask mandate despite exemption from new Tennessee law reining in COVID-19 restrictions
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will stand by its move to not require face masks on campus, despite the state granting the university system the abi…