Erlanger whistleblowers have reached an undisclosed settlement with the health system bringing an end to a federal lawsuit that claimed hospital staff illegally billed government insurance providers for overlapping surgeries The hospital's former chief information officer and orthopedic surgeons Julie Adams and Scott Steinmann brought the complaint against Erlanger in April 2021 under the False Claims Act and Tennessee Medicaid False Claims Act District Judge Travis McDonough signed off on the termination of the yearslong legal battle so medical students or residents gain on-the-job experience there A resident can perform an entire surgery in some cases and Medicare require a supervising physician be present for "key and critical" portions of a surgery performed by a resident in order to receive insurance payouts Three former Erlanger employees alleged they raised concerns about hospital staff regularly billing for two or three surgeries completed at the same time without patient consent or proper oversight The False Claims Act allows people with nonpublic information to bring a lawsuit in the name of the government to safeguard public funding The United States can then decide whether to intervene after it investigates any allegations of false statements or fraudulent representations used to secure government payment (READ MORE: Reneau, Hamilton County's newest lawmaker, passes 'chicken pot pie' bill) It has not been made public what payout the former employees received but their claims were permanently dismissed The United States and the state of Tennessee consented to the case's dismissal but both parties may have the ability to file it again in the future did not respond to two emails requesting information about the settlement Federal prosecutor Joseph Rodriguez and Erlanger attorney Brian Roark also did not respond The settlement agreement was reached a few months after Erlanger asked a federal judge to rule in its favor, alleging the whistleblowers failed to prove their case Erlanger told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in a statement at the time there had been no identified instances of physicians performing procedures that were not in full compliance with regulatory requirements There was allegedly no evidence that proved teaching physicians were not present during critical portions of surgery Erlanger said in a memorandum of law that Stephen Adams Julie Adams and Steinmann were not retaliated against for raising concerns Julie Adams and Steinmann were described as rude and divisive and they were allegedly fired because they were unable to improve their relationships with others Throughout Stephen Adams' decades of employment He accepted a position at CHI Memorial Hospital and tendered his resignation A reporter reviewed nearly 2,900 page of exhibits including Erlanger's internal communications and staff testimony which were made public as part of the hospital's request for summary judgment There appeared to be several reports or allegations made of improperly supervised overlapping surgeries there was one report of a resident allegedly making a surgical incision for about 20 minutes without a training physician present and he appeared to have reservations about where to make said incision The involved teaching physician alleged this didn't happen He said he would no longer teach any resident spine surgery and officially requested no students perform any meaningful work in his cases Other doctors were reviewed over allegations of delayed procedures while patients were under anesthesia or for being late to a scheduled procedure One doctor was reported over a potential violation for "overlapping procedures/late to scheduled procedures" for being 40 minutes late to a surgery Another doctor reportedly may have engaged in concurrent surgery while he worked on two cases Hospital leaders allegedly told the doctor he "breached their trust," and questioned him about what would have happened in the event a patient started bleeding or went into cardiac arrest without him present (READ MORE: Hamilton County man sentenced to 23 years in prison for murder at Chattanooga Amazon facility) Stephen Adams wrote to Julie Adams that a case like this had never been litigated "My gut feeling is this: No one has ever had a situation like this where an insider has full access to EVERY concurrent surgery event and associated billing data," the email said there were multiple reports of staff not getting along with Julie Adams and Steinmann One employee said during an Erlanger exit interview she allegedly witnessed Julie Adams bully a patient with a traumatic brain injury into having surgery There were also multiple discussions about their alleged inability to foster good working relationships and fit into the hospital's culture Contact Sofia Saric at ssaric@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476 Sofia Saric is a criminal justice reporter with a focus on the courts system for the Chattanooga Times Free Press She previously worked as a crime and breaking news reporter at the Casper Star-Tribune in Wyoming and as a metro correspondent at the Boston Globe Contact Sofia Saric at ssaric@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476 This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing Erlanger has earned BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's first Pay-for-Impact Award which rewards providers "delivering high-quality, cost-effective care to the BlueCross members they serve." ... more The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Chattanooga said they are so proud of Shellie Muncie, a certified nursing assistant who recently passed her boards to become a ... more Already have an account? Log in here “The Believe Bash is so much more than a black-tie gala — it’s a celebration of Erlanger’s legacy and future,” said Co-Chair Jim Coleman Digital Producer/Weekend Assignment Editor Erlanger's 2025 Believe Bash: Bollywood raised more than $1.67 million to support projects for the Children's Hospital at Erlanger and Erlanger Trauma Services Erlanger also received a check from Past-President of Erlanger Auxilary Mac Hedges and President Iona Jones to Erlanger Health for over $690,000 These two amounts combined lifts the total raised to $2.2 million for Erlanger initiatives the Believe Bash celebrated generosity and community with a nod to Bollywood Guests enjoyed Indian-inspired decorations  “As Board Chair of Erlanger Health and co-chair of the Bollywood Believe Bash it was a unique chance for me to share my heritage with the community I love; to benefit the organization I am deeply devoted to,” said Sheila Boyington Chair of the Erlanger Health Board of Directors “From the first sparkle of the evening to the final dance We’re thrilled to see our community come together in such a powerful way for a cause that touches every life in our region.” Funds raised during the event will support the following projects for the Children's Hospital at Erlanger and Erlanger Trauma Services: “We have served our region for over 120 years and are putting into place what is needed to serve this community for decades to come Erlanger prioritizes operating across all its locations as ONE Erlanger we need the community we serve to make this OUR Erlanger with increased ownership and support.” For more information, visit the Believe Bash Facebook Page Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Erlanger Hospital System and United Healthcare both announced they've reached a permanent agreement This means coverage will continue at Erlanger for United Healthcare customers "Erlanger and UnitedHealthcare (United) have reached a new agreement that allows patients with United commercial plans to maintain in-network access to Erlanger hospitals and providers “We aim to uphold Erlanger’s longstanding commitment to our community to provide high-quality we must regularly negotiate and establish mutually beneficial contracts with our insurance company partners We are pleased to have reached a new agreement that ensures our patients can continue to access the care they need.” Because the agreement was reached before the previous contract expired patient care can continue without interruption Patients are encouraged to continue scheduling and attending appointments as usual “We appreciate the trust our patients place in us and look forward to continuing our mission to compassionately caring for people,” said Hyde." Thousands of customers may soon be affected if an agreement isn't reached between Erlanger Hopsital System and a major insurer potentially affected customers will get an extension while work towards that permanent agreement between Erlanger and United Healthcare continues Patients who use United will not be out of network at Erlanger for the time being A page on United Healthcare's website says Meanwhile, a page on Erlanger's website says Is your health coverage potentially affected by the story? If so, we'd like to hear from you, & ask that youemail our newsroom James Fleming says some of the common signs of a stroke include trouble with speech or facial droop An Erlanger neurologist is spreading awareness about strokes following the announcement of Pope Francis' cause of death Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus and specifically for us to use a clot buster a patient has to get to the hospital within four and a half hours after the stroke starts we typically have up to 24 hours," Fleming says Fleming says prevention can include a healthier diet with more fruits and vegetables and less red meat Erlanger’s 2025 Believe Bash: Bollywood delivered an unforgettable night and set a new philanthropic record separate from monies raised during the Believe Bash to Erlanger Health for over $690,000 for a total amount raised of $2.2 million for Erlanger’s initiatives co-chairs announced that funds raised from the 2025 Believe Bash will support projects for the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger and Erlanger Trauma Services monies raised will complete the capital funding needed for the Angel Eye project at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger providing families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with 24/7 real-time video access to their newborns This technology will allow families to see connect and communicate with their babies even when they cannot be at the bedside strengthening family bonds during some of the most challenging times Erlanger will continue fundraising to sustain the ongoing operational expenses needed for Angel Eye. Additionally monies secured funding for the addition of new trauma bays to enhance Erlanger’s life-saving emergency care capabilities All those attending who were born at Erlanger or given birth at Erlanger were recognized during a special “First Breath” paddle raise held in their honor the Believe Bash celebrated the spirit of generosity and the power of community with a vibrant nod to Bollywood Guests were immersed in Indian-inspired décor music and performances — all in support of Erlanger’s mission to compassionately care for people chair of the Erlanger Health Board of Directors they led a blue-chip steering committee of civic leaders healthcare champions and philanthropic visionaries who made the evening possible “The Believe Bash is so much more than a black-tie gala — it’s a celebration of Erlanger’s legacy and future,” said Mr Erlanger prioritizes operating across all its locations as one Erlanger focused on our mission.  And likewise we need the community we serve to make this our Erlanger with increased ownership and support.” “It has been an honor to co-chair this year’s Bash and to honor and support Team Erlanger and the hard work they do every day for patients,” added Mrs “As Board Chair of Erlanger Health and co-chair of the Bollywood Believe Bash it was a unique chance for me to share my heritage with the community I love; to benefit the organization I am deeply devoted to,” said Mrs the energy in the room was electric,” said Dr “We’re thrilled to see our community come together in such a powerful way for a cause that touches every life in our region.” The 2025 Believe Bash was presented by First Horizon with leading support from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Millennium Bank and community champions stepped forward to support the cause including an esteemed group of Maharaja Sponsors: Dr Dozens more supported the event as Prime+ Sponsors with over 80 tables filled with dedicated community members and leaders Linda Brock and Lee Brock Luxury Edition Real Estate Partners Organizers also recognized the dedicated Table Hosts whose commitment to gathering and inspiring others helped make this year’s Believe Bash a true community celebration: Rachel Allred and Dr Table Host corporate sponsors included ABC Ortho The University of Tennessee Chattanooga College of Health Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation Tennessee Interventional & Imaging Associates University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine Chattanooga The event’s success was made possible by an exceptional steering committee Erlanger Foundation Advancement Council Representative; Sarah Cantrell Cleveland Outreach & Pre-Event Coordinator; Emily Corker Employee Engagement Lead; Lynda Minks Hood Erlanger Alumni Committee Chair; and Ward Petty “Erlanger’s story began with a single gift of $5,000 more than 120 years ago The generosity we saw tonight continues that tradition of giving — and investing in life.” Visit erlanger.org to learn more about the impact Erlanger is making in the region. Visit erlangerfoundation.org to find ways to support and participate in the tradition of giving Erlanger Health officials are sounding the alarm because patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance could lose in-network access to the hospital's services if a contract agreement isn't reached before April 15 No agreement would mean patients could lose their access to hospitals doctors and services like the Children's Hospital at Erlanger as early as the contract's expiration date The hospital system said the negotiation won't impact people with Medicare Advantage plans those receiving care at its western Carolina location the behavioral health hospital and its express care locations Director of Marketing & Public Relations Christine Brackett Gordon said via email the hospital knows how important it is for communities to have access to Erlanger as an essential and convenient health care provider considering its top-level trauma center and children's hospital Leah Hunter is a reporter covering health care and North Georgia for the Chattanooga Times Free Press She holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and Spanish from Western Kentucky University where she edited and wrote for the Talisman the university's print and digital Leah interned for the Lexington Herald-Leader and as the interim food reporter for The Courier-Journal in Louisville She also helped new Americans adapt to life in the United States while interning with the South Central Development Board in Bowling Green Leah is a traditional diarist from Hendersonville — Healthcare workers saw some of the highest rates for workplace violence of any private industry from 2021 to 2022 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Erlanger is looking to turn that national trend around with new devices that will allow employees to sound the alarm when they feel unsafe Erlanger Hospital says they're giving personal alarms to all employees Erlanger's director of patient safety having access to panic alarms could curb a bigger problem When we asked how many workplace violence incidents Erlanger sees per year They also told us that since the Covid-19 pandemic the American Organization for Nursing Leadership tells us this trend ramped up during Covid-19 They called the workplace violence in hospitals a 'reflection of society.' According to a survey done by National Nurses United nearly half of nurses reported an increase in workplace violence in the previous year This alarm doesn't alert Erlanger's security team or law enforcement when something happens the goal is to draw the attention of other staff or bystanders We have reached out to other hospitals in our area to see if they plan to implement a similar security measure currently located at the D1 Sports Training facility off of Gunbarrel Road will move to the Erlanger Volkswagen location "We are excited to move into a larger space at the Erlanger Volkswagen building,” said Lindsey Sharpe Manager of Outpatient Therapy Services at Erlanger “This move allows us to provide the same quality care people have grown to expect with Erlanger Outpatient Therapy but in a facility that gives us space to grow and meet the patients' needs." The address for Erlanger Physical Therapy at Volkswagen is 7380 Volkswagen Drive Erlanger Health System and one of its service providers have asked a federal judge to rule in their favor in a whistleblower lawsuit that alleges illegal billing practices for overlapping surgeries CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A man on Tennessee's sex offender registry for child rape now faces new charges after police say he raped a fellow patient in a hospital room at a behavioral hospital in Chattanooga on Friday Deputies arrested 49-year-old Shantonya Terrell Jones on Sunday A police report our newsroom obtained says the incident happened at the Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital on Holtzclaw Avenue Friday night That report says the victim told police she was in the bathroom sitting on the toilet when Jones apparently entered her room and made his way to the bathroom The woman said Jones at first tapped on the bathroom door before opening the door and pulling down his pants An ambulance took her to a local hospital where she got a sexual assault examination Police detained Jones and took him to the Police Services Center for questioning where he waived his right to remain silent without an attorney Jones said that he and the woman had had brief contact before the incident when he was admitted to the hospital on Friday for mental illness and told police that she indicated to him she was interested in having sex with him The police report says Jones told officers that the woman granted her consent We reached out to Erlanger hospital for comment An Erlanger spokesperson told us that although the facility uses the Erlanger name We have now reached out to Arcadia Healthcare for comment The exclusive provider of anesthesia services for Erlanger Health System said in sworn testimony that its anesthesiologists repeatedly raised concerns that surgeons were not complying with the hospital's overlapping surgery policy Both events will be held from 8:00am to 11:00am Erlanger Sports Medicine will offer two opportunities for area students to get sports physicals before the 2025-2026 school year Physicians will offer the physicals in at locations in Georgia and Tennessee on the following dates: Students in grades 9 through 12 at Erlanger-affiliated schools will not be charged for their sports physical Students in grades 6 through 12 at all other schools will be charged $15 You can learn more about Erlanger Sports Medicine online Lump sum pension payouts have returned to Erlanger hospital officials announced Tuesday — almost five years after the option was suspended in September 2020 The board of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority has decided to begin winding down its legacy pension retirement plan and trust The new agreement with UnitedHealthcare allows patients with commercial plans to maintain in-network access to Erlanger hospitals and providers. Erlanger and has reached a new agreement to keep a major health insurance company in its network. The new agreement with UnitedHealthcare (United) allows patients with commercial plans to maintain in-network access to Erlanger hospitals and providers. “We aim to uphold Erlanger’s longstanding commitment to our community to provide high-quality, compassionate care,” said Jensen Hyde, MD, Erlanger’s Chief Medical Officer. “To do that, we must regularly negotiate and establish mutually beneficial contracts with our insurance company partners. We are pleased to have reached a new agreement that ensures our patients can continue to access the care they need.” Hyde said the agreement was reached before the previous contract expired, so patient care can continue without interruption. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. President Donald Trump delivers his 100th Day in Office achievement speech in Michigan. WATCHU.S of Justice files federal complaint against Erlanger Hospital in Chattanoogaby WTVC — Erlanger Hospital knowingly billed Medicare for hospital services referred by its physicians between 2014 to at least 2021 Sullivan and Tabor claim Erlanger filed false insurance claims using the illegal self-referral process to government payers That would be a violation of the federal anti-kickback statute known as the Stark Law The lawsuit says the claims were false because the claimants weren't in fact eligible for reimbursement the lawsuit claims one doctor had the highest Contribution Margin for all Erlanger physicians responsible for bringing in more than $9 million dollars in inpatient and outpatient hospital service fees Attorneys say that doctor received a reward of more than $1 million dollars for bringing in that much for referrals We reached out to Erlanger officials for comment Read the full complaint of the Department of Justice below: Erlanger now says that the computer outage has ended and that all systems are operating normally elected surgeries scheduled for January 22nd remain cancelled The hospital says patients will be notified about rescheduling The hospital says all Erlanger Medical Group locations including Children’s Kennedy Outpatient Center remain open with the exception of the following services: Depend on us to keep you posted as we learn more Erlanger has confirmed that an "unexpected computer network system outage" has affected operations at all Erlanger hospitals Wednesday morning But a spokeswoman says all hospitals remain open and that patient care continues amid the outage Erlanger spokeswoman Meghan Gregg tells our newsroom: Erlanger sent out a news release on the issue later in the morning A guest services employee at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga confirms that the computer software system they "use to do everything" is down Wednesday morning We have reached out to Erlanger to learn more information and we'll update this story when we hear back The employee told us the system is known as Epic and that employees have been getting an error message on their computers that says "Could not start app." Depend on us to keep you posted on this developing story — Erlanger has announced to all employees that they'll be getting a personal panic alarm they'll need to keep with them while they're on the clock The hospital recently sent a letter to all workers explaining the new system -- and the need for it The letter says the panic alarms are needed "due to the increasing trend of workplace violence both in our organization and across the nation." All employees will have a hand-held Hootie brand panic alarm that they're required to keep on their person the employees are encouraged to detach a pin that would notify others in the hospital They are asked to keep that with them when walking to and from the building The hospital said the panic alarms are just one piece of the larger plan to improve the safety of everyone at Erlanger and said they will be taking proactive steps to improve safety and security Future plans for Erlanger includes training and more security protocols The building may not look like much from the outside but inside is 20,000 square feet of emergency response equipment for the EPA “We maintain a large cache of equipment that can be sent out to EPA regions or the personnel there can drive to a major incident such as a train derailment or pipeline break,” said Greg Powell who worked at the Erlanger facility for over 20 years But last week, DOGE added the facility to their website for lease termination WATCH: What eliminating the Erlanger facility would mean that has the equipment available to respond to emergencies quickly and terminating the lease would save the government $889,450 But Powell says the building has a purpose We asked him what his biggest concern was if the lease was terminated “The lack of emergency response capabilities for the midwest and the south,” said Powell He added that terminating the lease means the equipment will have to come either from New Jersey or Nevada Which will increase the response time from just a few hours to 12 or more He said the longer response time could potentially hurt the public and first responders “You wouldn’t have the monitoring capabilities to determine the hazards or also the responders that are responding to that.” Another concern of Powell’s is that he’s unsure if it will actually save the government money if you could find someplace else to move it to and set it up,” said Powell We reached out to the EPA and asked if the lease is terminated what would it mean for the area and communities when emergencies happen “EPA continues to work with GSA (General Services Administration) to ensure that the critical functions supported at the facilities are not disrupted.” This weekend marks the 10th annual Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon and it's shaping up to be a milestone event For this milestone tenth year of the marathon and new merchandise celebrating the milestone "I think when we started this 10 years ago I don't know that we had a clue where we would end up," said Race Director "10 years is great for a running event-- that's a big There are about 3,000 participants coming from all over registered for this years race Myrick said this has a huge economic impact on the city "It's a big push for heads in beds and getting folks into our community that live outside of our market," Myrick said checking out all the things that Chattanooga has to offer." Set-up will close Reggie White Boulevard between West 19th Street and West Main Street This begins Friday at 6:00am lasting through Sunday at 9:00pm and kids fun run will primarily affect Main Street between Riverfront Parkway and Central Ave between 8:00am and 12:00pm the half and full marathon will see the highest downtown traffic impact and closures between 7:30am and 3:00pm and law enforcement will help drivers get where they need to go Pay attention if you run into that stuff," Myrick said "Our police do an incredible job of of supporting not only our runners but our motorists to get you where you need to go For more information on the race, visit the Chattanooga Marathon's website Spokesperson Meghan Gregg says all hospital and emergency services have resumed normal operations UPDATE: An Erlanger spokesperson says all systems have been restored following a computer network outage on Wednesday morning All elective surgeries that were scheduled for Wednesday have been canceled at all of Erlanger's locations and patients will be contacted to reschedule Gregg confirmed on behalf of Erlanger that the outage "was not related to any type of cyberattack" Stay with Local 3 News for updates to this story PREVIOUS STORY: Erlanger is experiencing a computer network outage on Wednesday forcing the hospital to make changes to accommodate patients A spokesperson said all Erlanger hospitals remain open Here are the following changes announced by Erlanger: Erlanger said a team is working to fix the issue and more information will be provided as it becomes available Stay with Local 3 News for updates to this developing story Erlanger hospital said systems were fully restored following an unexpected computer network outage early Wednesday All hospital and emergency services were back to normal operations — An aging Hamilton County Health Department will no longer be nestled between the buildings of Erlanger Medical Center The Hamilton County Health Department says it plans to sell the department's building on East 3rd Street in Chattanooga to its next-door neighbor County officials announced the plans at a news conference Tuesday morning which has served the Chattanooga area for 64 years Erlanger CEO Jim Coleman shared his enthusiasm for the project The new facility will not only serve as a modern health department but will also house The Center for Thriving Families providing resources for the community's youngest citizens and their parents We asked Erlanger's board of directors chair Sheila Boyington how they will use it.. But she says specific plans are a long way off The Hamilton County Health Department will move into a new headquarters just down the road where the release says it will "occupy a small portion of the Engel Stadium property." The release says UTC "will oversee the redevelopment of the remaining areas preserving the stadium’s legacy and ensuring its historical significance remains a key part of the revitalization." The building housing the health department has had some issues in the past year the Tennessee Occupational Health and Safety Administration (TOSHA) inspected reports of exposed asbestos Those complaints expressed health and safety concerns about an area of tile flooring previously investigated by the Hamilton County Air Pollution Control. It was confirmed to be positive for black mastic asbestos The release from Hamilton County did not say whether Erlanger would tear down the existing building or renovate it We have reached out to Hamilton County and Erlanger Hospital to learn the answer to that question Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp emphasized the importance of Erlanger's health and financial stability 'This year's winners exemplify the intersection of professionalism commitment and advocacy,' said Jessica Long In honor of Social Worker Awareness Month happening in March, Erlanger recognized social workers in various departments selecting four recipients for the Social Worker of the Year Award "This year's winners exemplify the intersection of professionalism commitment and advocacy," said Jessica Long "The work they do not only beautifully represents Erlanger's goal to compassionately care for people but shows that social work practice can be expertly implemented and highly valued throughout the entire Erlanger network." Cheryl Smith has been with Erlanger for more than 25 years she dedicated herself to helping patients who were most vulnerable "Her experience in the Emergency Department has made her an amazing resource for her peers and an advocate for her patients," says the hospital Gennie Childs was nominated by her peers for this award due to her generosity towards families facing pediatric cancer "Gennie exemplifies the highest standards of the profession demonstrating unwavering commitment to her patients has a passion for serving mothers and newborns Erlanger says she was also nominated by peers for her "tireless efforts to support growing families approaching each situation with kindness and an open mind."  The nominations submitted for Alexandra Brzezienski mention her strong passion to connect with pediatric patients with whatever resources they may need Her peers note that "she is a champion for social justice and excels at tackling all the unique challenges pediatric social work embodies." For more information on Erlanger, visit the Erlanger website Erlanger Health and UnitedHealthcare have reached a new agreement allowing patients within the insurance provider's network to maintain in-network access to hospitals and providers within the Erlanger system "We aim to uphold Erlanger's longstanding commitment to our community to provide high-quality compassionate care," Erlanger Chief Medical Officer Dr we must regularly negotiate and establish mutually beneficial contracts with our insurance company partners." (READ MORE: Erlanger, United nearing April 15 deadline for new contract) Hyde said the hospital is pleased to have reached a new agreement The agreement was reached before the initial contract was set to expire April 15 so patient care can continue without interruption Patients are encouraged to continue scheduling and attending their appointments as usual "We appreciate the trust our patients place in us and look forward to continuing our mission to compassionately caring for people," Hyde said Jim Coleman remembers well a piece of advice he got from the man he calls his first mentor at Erlanger Health "Jim Allen was director of respiratory care here," says Coleman who worked as an Erlanger respiratory therapist from 1980 to 1993 (LEX 18) — Five women in Erlanger made history on Saturday serving on the city's first all-female fire crew The Erlanger Fire/EMS Department made the announcement on Saturday saying the achievement is a "testament to the dedication and grit of our firefighters." Paramedic/Firefighter Whitney Williams-Farrell Report a typo The Environmental Protection Agency facility in Erlanger faces an uncertain future after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency slated its lease for termination late last week The 20,000-square foot building in the unincorporated Boone County portion of Erlanger houses the agency’s Environmental Response Team and a stockpile of emergency response equipment It’s one of four ERT facilities in the country that provide rapid response services during emergencies like train derailments The other three are in Edison, N.J., Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Las Vegas, according to the EPA. None of their leases currently appear on DOGE’s online list of cuts, also known as the “Wall of Receipts.” DOGE claims terminating the Erlanger EPA lease would provide a total savings of $889,450 The Office of Land and Emergency Management did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication Greg Powell worked for the EPA in Erlanger for decades before he retired in January 2022 He says the loss of the facility would mean slower responses to emergencies in the Midwest “It would greatly increase the response times from other offices to support the EPA on-scene coordinators .. They have quite a big responsibility for protection of the public health and the environment,” Powell said “If they don't have the necessary monitoring equipment to make those determinations in the field it impacts the quality and the duration of a response.” While working at the Erlanger EPA facility, Powell responded to emergencies from an oil spill in Oak Glen Nature Preserve in Colerain Township to Hurricane Katrina Powell says there are at least nine people currently working at the facility who would be affected by the lease termination The facility also is used to store and maintain millions of dollars of equipment several boats for oil spills and air quality monitors DOGE plans to end the leases on 21 other federal buildings throughout Kentucky including several Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service offices Although most health care lawyers and compliance officers who review and analyze physician compensation understand that fair market value (FMV) is important the nuances around FMV are sometimes missed presents several reminders/warnings for health care organizations’ executive suites Please note: The Complaint’s facts are viewed through the DOJ’s lens there are likely missing facts and circumstances and good rebuttal arguments to be made the Complaint raises some useful compliance reminders DOJ emphasized underlying issues with the FMV assessments and the resulting lack of Stark Law compliance for Erlanger and noted the following: Based on the compliance issues raised in the Complaint compliance suggestions to hospital teams include: A healthy relationship between your executive Having adequate resources for both compliance and legal operations is also important We understand that neither legal nor compliance functions are seen as revenue generators for the organization; however the impact of poor compliance negatively impacts revenue as do government investigations and litigation Our Foley team has a wealth of experience to address any legal issue that may come your way We look beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients Images of people may not be Foley personnel Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Friday against Erlanger after former high-ranking employees accused the health system of offering kickbacks to physicians who brought in increased revenue Real estate and recreational development in Greater Cincinnati is booming The Enquirer’s Going Up series is here to introduce you to need-to-know development projects around the region Want more information about developments near you cweiser@enquirer.com or tag @Enquirer with details Development type: Park and outdoor recreation space Developer/contractor/architect/engineer: City of Erlanger, Boone County, Kenton County, Corporex, SD1, meetNKY, Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance and Horizon Funds Eons Adventure Park will be a 1,000-acre urban woodland adventure park "designed for all generations to wander escape and explore forever," according to a news release from the city of Erlanger the park will potentially span multiple Northern Kentucky cities stretching from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to the Riverfront Commons in Ludlow The park will offer an abundance of recreational features we thought this would be a great natural preserve-type area that we could really develop into a high-end state-of-the-art preserve with a focus on nature and mountain biking," said Mark Collier Erlanger's director of economic development The project broke ground at a ceremonial event near the development site in late October and is still only in its first phase While the park is planned to be over 1,000 acres this first phase of the project will primarily focus on a much smaller area near the Erlanger neighborhood of Cherry Hill This plot of land is sandwiched between the neighborhood and the Interstate 275 and I-71 interchange This part of the park will generally follow the path of Sycamore Tree Lane the city will reopen Old Erlanger Road and revitalize that path into a multi-modal road serving as the park's "spine," Collier said Along with the reopening of the "spine," the first phase of the project also includes the development of the dog park and converting Sycamore Tree Lane into a one-way road to prevent tractor-trailer traffic from entering the Cherry Hill neighborhood The dog park is set to be completed by July 2025 The completion of the entire 1,000-acre park is projected to take years and will require cooperation from the city's project partners like developer Corporex and neighboring counties Collier acknowledged the park may never even be completed multi-phase project that truly may never be completed because there is so much opportunity to build into the trail network," Collier said The city of Erlanger has budgeted $900,000 for phase one of the project the city has secured $250,000 in grant funding from the National Parks Service to aid in the construction Once city council decides to fund future phases of the project Collier said the city can then move forward with adding other amenities such as the mountain bike and hiking trails and picnic areas The park is expected to have a significant economic impact on the region. The project is estimated to create over 1,000 jobs and triple the amount of local spending, according to the Eons Adventure Park website which is a TennCare managed health care insurance provider may be required to pay Erlanger Health additional costs for medical services given to hundreds of patients who suffered an emergency condition The Erlanger Foundation has announced it is merging with Erlanger Health and becoming the system's office of development a new vice president and chief development officer was appointed Erlanger hospital will host a series of workshops Monday for women who've experienced cancer The objective of the Look Good Feel Better event is to offer support for managing altering side effects and appearance changes related to cancer treatment Carson made his appearance at Erlanger East at 2:20am on January 1 Erlanger is celebrating the first baby born at the hospital in 2025 measuring 19.88 inches and weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces “Welcoming the first baby of the New Year is always an exciting and special time for the family We are grateful they chose Erlanger and wish them all the best.” Local 3 News wishes congrats to the Regan family