Covenant Health maps broad 2025 growth plan across East Tennessee, adding clinics and new tech

Big push for 2025: new sites and upgraded care across the region

Covenant Health said it will expand services across East Tennessee in 2025, rolling out a mix of new outpatient clinics, hospital upgrades and digital tools meant to make care easier to access. The health system framed the plan as a response to steady patient demand and gaps in local services — particularly in suburban and rural communities — and said the work will include facility growth, new service lines and investments in clinical technology.

Where and what is being built: more clinics, added services and a staffing push

The announcement covers a range of projects across the Covenant Health network. Leaders described plans for several new outpatient clinics and urgent-care locations to sit closer to where patients live, expansions or refreshes at existing hospital campuses, and the addition of specialty clinics intended to reduce travel for things like orthopedics, cardiology and behavioral health.

Beyond bricks-and-mortar, Covenant described a concerted staffing effort. The system said it expects to hire more nurses, advanced practice providers and other clinical staff to support the openings and expanded service hours. Executives framed the hiring as a crucial part of being able to keep clinics and hospital units fully staffed as demand grows.

Capital commitments were presented as significant but spread across multiple projects rather than a single mega-investment. Covenant positioned the work as phased — some clinics will open early in the year, while larger renovation projects will roll out over months — allowing the system to stage spending and staffing.

Technology upgrades: imaging, virtual care and digital patient tools

Technology is a focal point of the plan. Covenant said it will bring new imaging equipment to several sites, upgrade surgical suites with modern monitoring systems and expand telehealth services so more patients can consult providers from home. The system also mentioned work on its digital front door — improvements to online scheduling, patient portals and remote monitoring tools — aimed at making routine care and follow-up simpler.

Leaders said these upgrades are meant both to speed diagnoses and to reduce unnecessary trips to emergency rooms by giving clinicians better tools to treat patients earlier or by connecting patients remotely for follow-ups. Covenant also noted attention to cybersecurity as the system adds more connected devices and digital services.

How patients, staff and communities may feel the change

For patients, the plan promises easier access — shorter drives to primary and specialty care, more appointment options, and the chance to use telehealth for routine needs. That should help people in smaller towns and suburbs where options have been thin.

For hospital and clinic staff, the expansion means new jobs and likely more predictable schedules where services are added closer to communities. But it also means Covenant will need to maintain recruitment and training to keep quality steady during the ramp-up.

Local economies could see modest benefits from construction work and new hires, and public-health initiatives mentioned in the release — community screenings and outreach programs — are intended to improve prevention and early care in places that have struggled with access.

Where Covenant stands now and what to watch for next

Covenant Health described itself in the release as one of the region’s larger health systems, with hospitals and outpatient services across East Tennessee. The 2025 plan is presented as the next stage of measured growth rather than an abrupt shift: projects will open in phases through the year, starting with a handful of clinic launches and technology rollouts, followed by larger renovations.

The company said more detailed timelines and community-specific announcements will come as permits are secured and construction schedules are set. The release also included media contact information for Covenant Health for reporters and community partners seeking details.

Overall, the initiative reads as a broad effort to bring more routine care closer to home while modernizing hospital infrastructure. For patients, that could mean convenience and faster access; for the health system, it is a bet that investing in sites, staff and technology will meet growing demand in the region.

Sources

• prnewswire.com