Ballad Health is an integrated community health improvement organization serving 29 counties of the Appalachian Highlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Southeast Kentucky. We're dedicated to improving the health of the people we serve.

Our system of 20 hospitals, post-acute care and behavioral health services, and a large multi-specialty group physician practice works closely with an independent medical community and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of close to one million people.

By leading in the adoption of value-based payments, addressing health-related social needs, funding clinical and health systems research and committing to long-term investments in strong children and families in our region, Ballad Health is striving to become a national model for rural health and healthcare.

At Ballad Health, we're completely invested in our communities because we're your neighbors, and this is our community, too. We're here to listen to you and address your unique needs – and we'll always be accountable.

How did we get our name?

Ballad Health was formed in 2018 by the merger of two regional health systems. When we came together to create Ballad Health, we started something brand new. Our new organization was built with community effort and is designed to meet local needs. Because of that, we wanted our new name to reflect our region’s strength and what local people told us they value most in a healthcare provider.

So we asked around – a lot. We surveyed people throughout our region, and asked them what they most want from a healthcare interaction. The top response? People told us they want to receive care from someone who really listens to them. When our health is at stake, we need to be able to trust our caregiver. We need to know that the person sitting with us in the exam room or at our bedside understands where we're coming from and how we got where we are today. Each life is a series of interconnected stories, and every story is important.

In fact, stories are a big part of what makes our region special. Our local history is deeply rooted in our stories and our songs – they capture who we are, where we’ve come from, and everything we’ve seen along the way.

A ballad is a song that tells a story.

It paints a picture of a person or event, and helps us find something in the story that we can connect with. Ballads help us understand each other. They celebrate our past, give meaning to the present, and help us build a stronger future.

We chose the name Ballad Health because we want to be reminded every day that good health is about more than healthcare – it’s about the story of our lives. When you choose to tell your story to us, you’re giving us a sacred trust, and it is absolutely essential that we listen.

We’re not perfect, but we are completely committed. We’ve started this journey together as a community, and we’re going to work together as one region to write the next chapter of our story together. This chapter is about you.

It’s your story. We’re listening.

Want to join us?

Visit our careers page to find out how to become part of the Ballad Health team. Have a heart for volunteering? There’s a place for you here. Visit our volunteers page to learn how you can put your unique talents to work helping others.