Erlanger Health
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE COMPASSIONATELY CARE FOR PEOPLE.
- Income
- $1.6 billion
- Spending
- $1.5 billion
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 2.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 8,319
- Volunteers
- 701
- Highest pay
- $2.6 million, physician
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 57% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $1.2 billion spent. ERLANGER HEALTH IS A TENNESSEE NON-PROFIT, PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAXES AS AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. ERLANGER HEALTH AND ITS AFFILIATES OWN AND OPERATE HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITIES KNOWN AS ERLANGER HEALTH (THE "HEALTH SYSTEM OR "ERLANGER") LOCATED PRIMARILY IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE (THE "HOSPITAL FACILITIES"). PRIOR TO JULY 1, 2023, THE HOSPITAL FACILITIES WERE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY. ON JULY 1, 2023, THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY TRANSFERRED THE HOSPITAL FACILITIES TO THE ERLANGER PURSUANT TO A MISSION AGREEMENT DATED AUGUST 29, 2022 AMONG THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, ERLANGER AND HAMILTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE. FOUNDED IN 1889 BY FRENCH NOBLEMAN, BARON FREDERIC EMILE D'ERLANGER, THE HOSPITAL OPENED IN 1899 WITH 72 BEDS. SOON AFTER OPENING, ERLANGER FORMED ONE OF THE STATE'S FIRST NURSING SCHOOLS AND DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP WITH CHATTANOOGA MEDICAL COLLEGE, NOW THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA.ERLANGER CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AS AN ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER AND PASSION FOR ADVANCING MEDICAL EDUCATION THROUGH A 50 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE CHATTANOOGA.THE HEALTH SYSTEM IS THE LARGEST HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE, TREATING MORE THAN 1,000,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. ERLANGER HEALTH EMPLOYS OVER 6,800 PEOPLE IN ORDER TO OPERATE A TOTAL OF 930 LICENSED BEDS. MORE THAN 700 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE OVER 100,000 HOURS OF TIME TO THE HEALTH SYSTEM. THE HEALTH SYSTEM INCLUDES 6 HOSPITAL FACILITIES AND 28 PRIMARY CARE LOCATIONS TO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF SPECIALIZED CLINICAL SERVICES SUCH AS LEVEL I ADULT AND PEDIATRIC TRAUMA, LEVEL IV NEONATOLOGY SERVICES, KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION, HEPATOBILIARY CANCER TREATMENT, THE COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, THE ORTHOPEDIC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, A REGIONAL CANCER UNIT, OPEN-HEART SURGERY AND NEUROSURGERY, AS WELL AS A FULL-SERVICE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY SIX "LIFE FORCE" AIR AMBULANCES COVERING A 100-MILE RADIUS AROUND CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE. ERLANGER HAS A MEDICAL STAFF CONSISTING OF ADULT AND PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALTY PHYSICIANS AND A LARGE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK COVERING THE ERLANGER REGION. THE MEDICAL STAFF CONSISTS OF EMPLOYED PHYSICIANS AND PRIVATE ATTENDING PHYSICIANS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE FACULTY APPOINTMENTS WITH UTHSC COLLEGE OF MEDICINE CHATTANOOGA. THE MAJORITY OF SPECIALISTS ARE LOCATED ON ONE OF THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPUSES.ERLANGER HEALTH IS THE REGION'S ONLY SAFETY NET HOSPITAL PROVIDING MEDICALLY NECESSARY HEALTHCARE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS, WHERE NO INDIVIDUALS ARE DENIED NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE, TREATMENT OR SERVICES REGARDLESS OF THE ABILITY TO PAY, INCLUDING CHARITY CARE, SELF-PAY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PATIENTS. AT ERLANGER, DIVERSITY IS AN INDISPENSABLE COMPONENT OF HEALTHCARE EXCELLENCE. A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY MEANS A COMMITMENT TO THE INCLUSION, WELCOME, AND SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL GROUPS, ENCOMPASSING THE VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS IN OUR EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY. THESE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDE RACE, ETHNICITY, NATURAL ORIGIN, GENDER, AGE, SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND DISABILITY. AS WE EMBRACE THE POWER OF DIVERSITY, WE WILL PROVIDE OUR STAFF, VISITORS, PATIENTS, AND COMMUNITY WITH AN EXPERIENCE RICH IN OPPORTUNITIES AND PERSPECTIVES TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEES, PHYSICIANS, AND CLINICIANS OUR HOSPITAL IS A WELCOMING PLACE FOR ALL AS WE EMBRACE THE POWER OF DIVERSITY. AT ERLANGER HEALTH, OUR VALUES DEFINE WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE ACT AS STAKEHOLDERS, INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. WE BELIEVE VALUES IN ACTION CREATE THE CULTURE WE DESIRE: EXCELLENCE, RESPECT, LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, NURTURING, GENEROSITY, ETHICS, RECOGNITION. OUR VALUES REPRESENT WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO AND OUR ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE.FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A, CONTINUATION:ERLANGER HONORS AND AWARDSCHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT ERLANGER WAS RECOGNIZED FOR THE 2024 CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION OUTSTANDING CARE CENTER PARTNER AWARD.ERLANGER EAST RECEIVED THE MOTHERS' MILK BANK OF TENNESSEE FIRST PLACE AWARD FOR 2025 DONATIONS. CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT ERLANGER RECEIVED THE MOTHERS' MILK BANK OF TENNESSEE SECOND PLACE AWARD FOR 2025 DONATIONS.ERLANGER BARONESS HOSPITAL AND ERLANGER EAST HOSPITAL RECEIVED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S GET WITH THE GUIDELINES - STROKE GOLD PLUS QUALITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING STROKE PATIENTS RECEIVE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TREATMENT ACCORDING TO NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, RESEARCH-BASED GUIDELINES. ERLANGER BARONESS HOSPITAL RECEIVED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S TARGET: STROKE ELITE PLUS AWARD BY MEETING SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT REDUCE THE TIME BETWEEN AN ELIGIBLE PATIENT'S ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL AND TREATMENT WITH THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY.ERLANGER BARONESS HOSPITAL RECEIVED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S TARGET: STROKE HONOR ROLL ADVANCED THERAPY AWARD BY MEETING SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT REDUCE THE TIME BETWEEN AN ELIGIBLE PATIENT'S ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL AND TREATMENT TO REMOVE THE CLOT CAUSING THE STROKE.ERLANGER EAST HOSPITAL RECEIVED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S TARGET: STROKE HONOR ROLL ELITE AWARD BY MEETING SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT REDUCE THE TIME BETWEEN AN ELIGIBLE PATIENT'S ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL AND TREATMENT WITH THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY.ERLANGER HEALTH WAS NAMED BEST HOSPITAL, BEST EMERGENCY ROOM, BEST GENERAL PRACTICE DOCTOR (BRENT CAMPELL), BEST URGENT CARE, AND BEST PLACE TO HAVE A BABY (ERLANGER EAST) IN THE 2025 CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS BEST OF THE BEST READERS' CHOICE AWARDS. THE WIN FOR BEST PLACE TO HAVE A BABY WAS THE EIGHTEENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITY AND AGING CHOSE ERLANGER AS A 2024 TENNESSEE EMPLOYMENT FIRST INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER AWARD RECIPIENT FOR ITS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PROGRAM, PROJECT SEARCH. THIS AWARD IS GIVEN T
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2022.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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