Tennessee Christian Medical Center

History of Tennessee Christian
Tennessee Christian Medical Center was founded by Edward A. Sutherland and Percy T. Magan, two educators from Michigan who came to Tennessee in 1904 to establish a school. The Nashville Agricultural and Normal Institute, which later became know as Madison College, was designed to entirely support its own expenses through its health work where the students would train . An agricultural program provided food for workers, students, and patients.

The school quickly developed a reputation for healthful living, and in 1908 a sanitarium with twelve beds was dedicated. Dr. Lillin Magan, Percy's wife, became the first physician on staff.

In 1928, a second group of buildings with an administration office, x-ray, doctor's offices, and other departments was added. Surgery and obstetrics were added in 1938, and the institution became known as Madison Rural Sanitarium and Hospital.

In 1965, the old sanitarium buildings were razed and a new structure, housing the current north, south, and east wings, was built. In 1976, the institution, now called simply Madison Hospital, transferred ownership to Adventist Health System.

The completion of a five-floor patient tower in 1981 brought the hospital's bed capacity to 307. In 1985, the hospital's board of managers voted to rename the facility Tennessee Christian Medical Center to better reflect the range of services available to the community and to more closely identify it with its Christian heritage.

Highland Hospital, a 50-bed Adventist Health System hospital located in Portland, became a satellite facility of Tennessee Christian in 1994, and was renamed Tennessee Christian Medical Center Portland.