TN · 95 Counties
Tennessee Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Tennessee's 151 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 151 active hospitals across 95 counties, including 15 Critical Access Hospitals and 43 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Tennessee?
Tennessee's 151 hospitals collectively operate 26,112 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Tennessee have no hospital?
24 of Tennessee's 95 counties (25%) are hospital deserts — counties with no hospital facility. Residents must travel to neighboring areas for inpatient care. Source: CMS Provider of Services, RHT Compass analysis.
What is the hospital ownership breakdown in Tennessee?
Of Tennessee's 151 hospitals, 96 are not-for-profit, 2 are for-profit, and 53 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in Tennessee?
14 rural hospitals have closed in Tennessee since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Tennessee?
The median operating margin for Tennessee's hospitals is -0.3% as of FY2025. 36 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Tennessee have negative operating margins?
36 of Tennessee's hospitals reported negative operating margins in FY2025, meaning their operating expenses exceeded revenue. Source: CMS HCRIS.
What is the average hospital occupancy rate in Tennessee?
The average occupancy rate across Tennessee's hospitals is 57.4% as of FY2025. Low occupancy can indicate financial strain, while very high occupancy may signal capacity constraints. Source: CMS HCRIS.
💵Grants & Programs
What federal grants are available for rural hospitals in Tennessee?
Tennessee receives 25 active HRSA grants totaling $35.6M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($29.9M), Flex Program ($3.0M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($1.2M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Tennessee?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Tennessee, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $29.9M across 22 grants. Rural non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, and consortia of at least three health care providers. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) program in Tennessee?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Tennessee, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $3.0M across 1 grant. State offices of rural health apply on behalf of CAHs. Funds flow to state agencies, which distribute to eligible facilities. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Tennessee?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Tennessee, this program (CFDA 93.913) provides $1.5M across 1 grant. One award per state to the designated state office of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) program in Tennessee?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Tennessee, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $1.2M across 1 grant. Hospitals with 49 or fewer beds that are not Critical Access Hospitals. Administered through state offices of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
Who are the largest grant recipients in Tennessee?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Tennessee are: Tennessee Department Of Health ($5.8M); Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach ($4.0M); Middle Tennessee State University ($3.9M); Meharry Medical College ($3.0M); Rural Health Association Of Tennessee, Inc. ($2.8M). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Tennessee receive?
Tennessee receives $206.9M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $1.0B over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Tennessee Department of Health. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Tennessee?
Tennessee Department of Health is the designated lead agency managing Tennessee's $206.9M/year RHT Transformation award. The performance period runs from 2025-12-29 to 2030-10-30. Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the CMS AHEAD model and how does it affect Tennessee?
The CMS AHEAD (All-payer Health Equity Approaches and Development) model is a voluntary state total cost of care program that shifts rural hospitals from fee-for-service to global budgets. Tennessee's $206.9M/year RHT award supports the transition. Hospitals can use the AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead to assess preparedness.
❤️Community Health
What are the key health indicators for Tennessee's counties?
Across Tennessee's 95 counties, the average diabetes rate is 12.5%, obesity rate is 39.1%, and uninsured rate is 11.9%. There are 4.4 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Tennessee's communities?
Tennessee has 12 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.54 (on a 0-1 scale where 1 is most vulnerable). Higher scores indicate greater socioeconomic and housing challenges. Source: CDC SVI (2022).
What health professional shortages exist in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 1012 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 480 in primary care, 398 in dental health, and 134 in mental health. An estimated 29,376,685 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Tennessee have?
Tennessee has 4,858 primary care physicians (68.2/100k population), 13,601 nurse practitioners, 3,414 physician assistants, and 4,174 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $11,355 with a 17.1% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Tennessee at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Tennessee's average county-level rates: diabetes 15.4%, obesity 40.2%, depression 29.7%, frequent mental distress 20.2%, smoking 20.7%, and high blood pressure 43%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 229 FQHC sites operated by 28 grantee organizations. 133 sites (58.1%) are in rural areas and 96 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 99 HRSA medically underserved designations: 67 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 32 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 56.6 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Tennessee prepare for the CMS AHEAD model?
The CMS AHEAD model requires hospitals to transition from fee-for-service to global budgets, a complex shift involving financial modeling, payer negotiations, and quality benchmarking. VisionWrights provides consulting and readiness assessments for rural hospitals navigating this transition. A free AHEAD Readiness checklist is available at rhtcompass.com/ahead.
Where can I find comprehensive data on rural hospitals in Tennessee?
Federal data on Tennessee's rural hospitals is spread across CMS, HRSA, CDC, and other agencies. RHT Compass integrates 15 federal data sources into a single platform with hospital profiles, county health dashboards, financial benchmarks, and grant tracking for all 151 hospitals in Tennessee.
How can I assess my hospital's AHEAD readiness?
The free AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead walks hospital leaders through 20+ criteria covering financial preparedness, care model alignment, data infrastructure, and community partnerships. It takes about 10 minutes and produces an actionable readiness score.
See the Full Tennessee Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Tennessee's 151 hospitals.
Request a DemoData from CMS Provider of Services, CMS Cost Reports (HCRIS), County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, Community Benefit Insight, UNC Sheps Center, USAspending.gov, and HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce. Last updated: 2026-03-11.