By Joel Stinnett – Reporter, Nashville Business Journal
HCA Healthcare Inc.’s influence extends far beyond the walls of its corporate headquarters near Centennial Park.
The hospital operator has helped build businesses and launch careers across dozens of industries in Music City. We reached out to Nashville business leaders to find out how HCA has impacted their respective company, industry or career. Take a look at what they had to say in the slideshow with this story.
“HCA has had a more profound impact on the local and state economy than perhaps any other single organization. They made Nashville the health care capital of the country. Directly and indirectly, they have driven personal wealth and prosperity for businesses of all kinds in our city. ...Nashville simply would not be what it is today without HCA.”
“For nearly 50 years, HCA has been a valued partner and contributor to Meharry Medical College. The Meharry/HCA relationship dates back to the early days of HCA when Jack Massey joined the Meharry Board of Trustees. ...[Today,] Dr. Jonathan Perlin, Milton Johnson and Sam Hazen have facilitated the expansion of training opportunities for our students into the HCA TriStar network.”
“One of the strategic reasons Brasfield & Gorrie opened an office in Nashville 20 years ago was to serve clients such as HCA. ...Being a partner with HCA has enabled our Nashville office, as well as other offices involved with their projects, to grow.”
“During my 21 years at HCA, I gained an understanding of how health care is delivered with compassion by surrounding yourself with good, qualified people. I also learned how to take measured risk and create value for the shareholder.”
“It cannot be overstated how critical HCA’s presence has been to the growth of Nashville and the nation’s health care industry. The company has spawned countless innovative endeavors and entrepreneurs working to improve health care, while having a deep philanthropic and economic impact on this city.”
“I got my first exposure to HCA as an 18-year-old intern almost 45 years ago, while working part-time for a construction company that built many of the HCA hospitals. I couldn’t have known at the time that I would spend the rest of my 45-year career working with HCA.”
“My career and the way I think about the opportunities and challenges in health care have been influenced by HCA more than any other company, school or entity I can think of. … They use their unparalleled data assets to provide financial and clinical intelligence. I realized that these techniques allow them to position themselves well in competitive, profitable markets. That’s why they influence everything that happens from a health care perspective, not only in Nashville, but across the country.”
“HCA’s legacy of talented management teams, corporate responsibility and community engagement has been instrumental in establishing Nashville as the for-profit capital of health care. ...This influence has directly strengthened Nashville’s economic vitality and impacted the growth of other industries, services and businesses, including our firm, which has grown to the nation’s fourth-largest health law firm.”
“The thought leadership of HCA, coupled with the expertise from clinical to business to emotional intelligence and respect is extraordinary. … Comprehensive interoperability and data liquidity to improve patient care is Milton Johnson at his core and that of his business.”
“For diverse companies to be competitive, they have to be built to scale, and [HCA subsidiary] HealthTrust helped us get there. ...It’s allowed us to employ more people and build out what I think is a great infrastructure as a company. ...It increased our sales force and overall footprint from being a local company to being an international company.”
“HCA is the center of gravity for the entire health care community. ...As a venture capitalist, I have found HCA to be a knowledgeable customer, a source of innovation, a rewarding fishing ground for executive talent and a great acquirer of high-growth businesses. ...Nashville wouldn’t exist without HCA.”
“Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. also founded one of Brookdale’s predecessor companies, American Retire-ment Corp. Dr. Frist’s vision ...set the tone for what is now Brookdale’s mission of enriching the lives of those we serve. ...We continue to live by his philosophy that ‘good people beget good people.’”
“HCA’s impact on LBMC’s business is vast. Health care is LBMC’s largest industry focus. … HCA has been instrumental in LBMC’s business and career development. ...HCA continues to produce experts by leading, training and growing talent in every aspect of the health care industry.”
“HCA was the original catalyst for the growth of Nashville’s tech community. They set a high standard for technical innovation that attracted talent and gave early computer professionals in Nashville a place to grow.”