Lynchburg part of medical merger

3:53 p.m. June 5, 2025

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

If you’ve logged into your patient portal for the Lynchburg Southern Tennessee Regional Health System (STRHS) location, you noticed it now features the updated Highpoint Health-Ascension Saint Thomas branding. The name on the building at 491 Majors Blvd. will change, as will the sign on the door – but the service will remain the same that Moore County currently enjoys.

Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas expanded their joint venture, Highpoint Health, to include two new hospitals in Southern Middle Tennessee. STRHS-Winchester and STRHS-Sewanee have joined the Highpoint Health network, strengthening healthcare access and specialty services across the region.

The two facilities now operate as Highpoint Health-Winchester, in partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas, and Highpoint Health-Sewanee, also in partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas. Both hospitals are majority-owned and operated by Lifepoint Health and co-branded with Ascension Saint Thomas. Leadership and staffing at the facilities remain unchanged, ensuring continuity of care for patients and stability for employees.

“We are excited to expand our relationship with Ascension Saint Thomas by adding these two facilities to the Highpoint Health joint venture,” said William Haugh, president of Lifepoint Health’s Central Division. “STRHS-Winchester and STRHS-Sewanee both play critical roles in providing much-needed services close to home. We look forward to continuing to strengthen access to care through this expanded network.”

Highpoint Health is a regional health system that includes facilities in Gallatin, Hartsville, and Carthage, as well as more than 15 affiliated clinics. The addition of the Winchester and Sewanee campuses expands the system’s reach across Southeastern and Middle Tennessee.

The partnership between Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas combines clinical expertise, best practices, and a shared mission to enhance access to high-quality, compassionate care.

“This expansion marks an important step forward in our mission to enhance healthcare access for the communities we serve,” said Fahad Tahir, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas. “STRHS-Winchester and STRHS-Sewanee will benefit from our nationally recognized specialty services and clinical expertise.”

Highpoint Health-Winchester is a 157-bed facility that includes 131 licensed acute care beds and 26 skilled nursing beds. It features a wide array of services, including an Intensive Care Unit, Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, Inpatient Physical Rehabilitation, Cardiac Cath Lab, five operating rooms, and a 13-bay Emergency Department that treats over 15,000 patients annually.

Highpoint Health-Sewanee, located on the University of the South campus, is a 41-bed hospital offering 21 acute care beds and 20 skilled nursing beds. Known for its personalized care and strong ties to the community, Sewanee’s facility features a four-bay Emergency Department that handles more than 5,000 patient visits annually.

“We are looking forward to being part of the Highpoint Health network as we work together to grow and strengthen specialty services that we know are important to our community,” said Adam Martin, CEO of the Winchester and Sewanee campuses. “We have an incredibly strong team of dedicated caregivers and are excited about the opportunities ahead.”

The move further aligns both organizations in their mission to improve healthcare access and outcomes across the region, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

For more information, visit www.LifepointHealth.net or www.ascension.org.