About us
At the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, we’re dedicated to improving the lives of Veterans and their families every day.
About the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
The VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System provides you with outstanding health care, trains America’s future health care providers, and conducts important medical research.
Annual Report
To read to VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System 2023 Annual Report, click on the link below.
Health care and services
We provide you with health care services at 21 locations serving central Tennessee and southern Kentucky. Facilities include our Nashville VA Medical Center and Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro. We also have 19 community-based outpatient clinics in Bowling Green and Hopkinsville, Kentucky; and Dover, Clarksville, Chattanooga, Arnold Air Force Base, Cookeville, McMinnville, Harriman, Columbia, Athens, Nashville, Gallatin, and Murfreesboro, Tennessee. To learn more about the services each location offers, visit the VA Tennessee Valley health services page.
Research and development
At Nashville VA Medical Center and Alvin C. York VA Medical Center, we conduct research to discover knowledge, develop VA scientists and health care leaders, and create innovations that advance health care for Veterans and the nation. We offer Veterans the opportunity to participate in and benefit from our work. Our goal is to use research to promote better health and health care for all.
We conduct more than 150 active research studies. Major research areas include:
- Health services
- Rehabilitation
- Autoimmune disorders
- Cardiology
- Diabetes
- Dermatology
- Genetic medicine
- Hematology
- Hypertension
- Infectious disease
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Surgery
Teaching and learning
Our Nashville VA Medical Center and Alvin C. York VA Medical Center are teaching hospitals that provide a full range of services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research.
Each year, we fund more than 895 medical residency slots and nearly a dozen dental residency slots. We provide training to more than 772 nursing and associated health trainees each year. We offer associated health training in fields such as nursing, psychology, audiology, social work, dietetics, pharmacy, dental health administration, nuclear medicine, pastoral education, physician assistants, radiology, respiratory care, laboratory, and health information management.
We maintain primary affiliations with 2 local institutions. The Nashville VA Medical Center is affiliated with the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, with residency programs in all major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. The Alvin C. York VA Medical Center is affiliated with Meharry Medical College, with residency programs in oral surgery, psychiatry, general internal medicine, occupational medicine, preventive medicine, geriatric medicine, and family practice.
Our other academic affiliates include:
- Abbott Northwestern
- American Baptist College
- Auburn University
- Austin Peay State University
- Aquinas Junior College
- Belmont University
- Columbia State Community College
- Florida State University
- Georgia State University
- Hopkinsville Community College
- Mercer University
- Memphis State University
- Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Nashville State Technical Institute
- Samford University
- Tennessee State University
- Trevecca College
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- Volunteer State Community College
We’re proud of our partnerships with top institutions and organizations that support the educational mission of the VA.
Fast facts
- Our hospital in Murfreesboro is named for Alvin C. York, who was born and raised near Pall Mall, Tennessee. York was one of our most decorated soldiers of World War I and received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration for valor. The highest grossing film of 1941, “Sergeant York,” is about his heroic service during World War I.
- Our hospitals have 238 beds.
- We are the only VA medical center to have an accredited residential rehabilitation treatment program. The program specializes in post-traumatic stress and substance abuse disorder recovery. The program earned two exemplary ratings - the highest mark to earn - and had zero findings. Out of 60,000 hospitals and programs surveyed, only 3 percent earn zero findings.
- We are the first VA medical center in Tennessee to have a Fisher House. Fisher Houses are designed to be a home away from home for Veteran and military families receiving intense medical treatments.
Accreditations and Achievements
Our facilities and programs have received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.