Meharry official tells Hospital Authority finance panel Nashville General breached partnership agreement

Janette Southa, executive vice president and provost of Meharry Medical College, used her three-minute public comment period at the Hospital Authority finance committee meeting on March 28 to allege multiple breaches of the colleges' Professional Services Agreement with Nashville General Hospital.

Southa said the hospital repeatedly hired clinicians without consulting Meharry, recruited Meharry faculty with higher salaries while refusing to pay Meharry per the PSA, and contracted independent physicians who she said "refuse to teach students or residents or who possess inadequate credentials to qualify for faculty appointments." She also said the hospital has contracted for resident services through state programs and then "refused to pay Meharry for these same residents at the current rate."

"These actions clearly violate the PSA," Southa said, adding that the hospital had diverted funds to establish off-site practices serving commercially insured patients while leaving Meharry to absorb losses caring for uninsured patients. She warned that the pattern risks "creating a segregation of care that will promote and extend health disparities in our community." She said Meharry has provided care and training at Nashville General for decades and that the college seeks transparency and a partnership that supports clinical education.

Committee members acknowledged the comments and one member proposed allowing the hospital administration time to prepare a response rather than reply immediately in the meeting. A hospital representative declined to provide a detailed rebuttal during the session, saying it would be "inappropriate to go into any detailed retort" and proposed a separate conversation outside the committee meeting to address the concerns.

The finance committee did not take any formal action on the allegations during the meeting; members proceeded to the budget and financial reports. The committee will receive the full 2023 audit presentation from the audit partner at the upcoming board meeting, where the committee said it expects further opportunity for questions and discussion.