Lawsuit to block new Vanderbilt hospital in Murfreesboro filed by Saint Thomas

Sam Chimenti
·2 min read
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RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Middle Tennessee hospital has filed a lawsuit to stop Vanderbilt Medical from expanding into Rutherford County, in the latest chapter of this multi-year saga.

The state approved Vanderbilt’s new facility in late February. On Monday, Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro filed a lawsuit to reverse that decision.

Rutherford County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Tennessee, but St. Thomas argues there’s still not a need for another hospital. In their lawsuit, they cited factors like a continued nursing shortage and the county’s younger, healthier demographic.

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This ongoing dilemma is rooted in Tenneesse’s certificate of need law, which requires proof of need to open or modify a healthcare institution. St. Thomas’ underlying complaint harps on just that—an additional hospital, they say, would not improve medical care or satisfy a consumer need.

However, a conservative think-tank that’s against the certificate of need law says data in Rutherford County shows a potential economic boost.

“What we found when we did some research and releases at the beginning of last year is that Rutherford County alone has lost out, between 2000 and 2022 (on), over $170 million in lost-economic investment from these CON laws,” explained Ron Shultis, Director of Policy and Research for Tennessee’s Beacon Center. “That’s not only denied access, but it’s lost jobs, particularly high-paying jobs, right?”

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Shultis used a unique comparison when describing Certificate of Need laws and their pitfalls.

“Let’s say if Chick-fil-A had to prove to the government there was a shortage of chicken nuggets in your zip code. And then what happens is KFC, Zaxby’s, Popeyes say ‘Oh no, we can meet the demand for chicken nuggets,’ and so the application is denied. In any other context, we would say that is undeniably unfair.”

News 2 reached out to Vanderbilt Medical Center Wednesday and were told they would not comment on active litigation.

At last update, this new facility would be complete by 2026.

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