The transformation of Vanderbilt University Medical Center from a modest downtown Nashville building at Fifth Avenue South and Elm Street in the late 19th century to its current footprint that extends throughout the Southeast is emblematic of the institution’s successful legacy, said leaders at the January virtual Leadership Assembly that marked the 150th anniversary.
Today’s VUMC is closely intertwined with the booming geographic region it calls home, resulting in a relationship that both demands and fuels the institution’s rapid growth.
This commitment is evident in all corners of the Vanderbilt Health System where more than 3.5 million patient visits now occur each year in its hospitals and clinics located in five states, and where the Vanderbilt Transplant Center is now the world’s third busiest.

“We are more than just seven hospitals, 10 multispecialty clinics, five surgery centers or 413 clinics. We are 45,000 people committed to making health care personal for patients everywhere. It’s an honor to serve so many people. Together, you are making a difference for people in Nashville, in communities across our region, and throughout the nation,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of VUMC and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Pioneers and Breakthroughs: Origins of VUMC Innovation
When VUMC was founded in 1875 as Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, life expectancy was just 40 years — a world before insulin or antibiotics, said Balser. The institution’s storied reputation picked up in the 1920s when Ernest Goodpasture, MD, the first chair of Pathology and a Clarksville, Tennessee, native, developed a novel method for culturing and growing viruses. Using a modified dentist’s drill to create small holes in chicken eggs, Goodpasture established techniques that would enable mass production of vaccines for smallpox, typhus and yellow fever, saving millions of lives around the globe.
The tradition of developing leading-edge care continued through the 1960s when Nashville-native Mildred Stahlman, MD, revolutionized neonatal care by placing the first premature baby on a negative pressure ventilator, marking the beginning of modern neonatal intensive care.
“We are committed to the values that make VUMC who we are as we expand. Wherever you see the Vanderbilt Health logo, you can expect to receive Vanderbilt’s level of care and service,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer.
Building the Future: Nashville’s Health Care Boom
Vanderbilt Health’s recent growth, driven by Nashville’s rapid expansion, includes new floors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and the Jim Ayers Tower, as well as the establishment of Regional Hospitals and clinics to meet increasing health care demands. The population boom of the greater Nashville area is expected to continue over the next decade with a projected 300,000 people moving to Middle Tennessee, said Balser. The Medical Center’s long history of innovative, high-quality care will be central to the health and well-being of the region, he said.

Vanderbilt Health’s regional network now includes seven hospitals and 413 clinics, with thousands of employees working in more locations outside of Davidson County. The system performs 25,000 ambulatory surgeries annually and has 1.2 million visits to regional locations that account for one-third of its patient volume. From 2020 to 2024, care at regional centers has grown even faster than in Davidson County, reflecting both people’s desire for care close to home and the health system’s strategic mission to improve care in communities, Pinson said.
From Communities to Pockets: Staying in Touch
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is home to the nation’s largest Department of Biomedical Informatics, and the seamless connection of technology to care is a touchstone of the institution’s clinical care and globally renowned reputation. My Health at Vanderbilt, one of the oldest and most widely adopted patient portals in the world, has over 1.2 million unique users, said Pinson.
Its widespread adoption is changing how and when Vanderbilt Health connects with the people who rely on its expert care. More than 90% of regular adult patients use the portal, accessing it an average of 51 times each year. In 2024 alone, patients scheduled or rescheduled over 490,000 appointments online and conducted more than 226,000 telehealth visits through the platform.
“What sets us apart as Vanderbilt Health are the valued features we provide. Making our advanced technology available at each of our locations, and in people’s hands, is part of the value our patients appreciate and expect. This promise drives VUMC’s ongoing expansion while maintaining the values that have defined the institution for 150 years,” said Pinson. “In addition, our constant attention to quality and safety and to our culture of service and patient satisfaction are important valued features. These principles are our ‘playbook’ for success.”