Transforming Whole-Person Healthcare: Nashville General Hospital’s Success Story

One must not become complacent with the present when looking to the future. Recent criticisms of Nashville General Hospital (NGH) deliberately overlook the transformative success story we have created, redefining whole-person healthcare in Middle Tennessee and setting a national standard for safety-net hospitals. The progress at NGH did not happen by chance; it is the culmination of innovative leadership, evidence-based strategies, and an unwavering commitment to the Quadruple Aim: enhancing patient experiences, improving quality, reducing costs, and supporting care teams. Today, NGH stands as a leading Essential Hospital, a vital part of a national network of hospitals and medical centers that provide more than a quarter of the charity care delivered in the U.S. NGH has become a national example of how innovation can improve health equity, achieve financial sustainability, and deliver quality outcomes. At a time when most hospitals, including for-profit, non-profit, and safety-net institutions, are struggling, NGH offers a lifeline to Nashville’s underserved and a practical path to follow for hospitals facing similar challenges. NGH’s commitment to quality care is irrefutable. In Fall 2024, we earned a Safety Grade of ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit that evaluates hospitals on patient safety. This peer-reviewed, transparent accolade...