Tennessee Medical Foundation

06/14/2026

🌲 Reflecting, Reconnecting, and Recharging! 🌲

We wrapped up an incredible weekend retreat today for clinicians participating in our Professionals Health Program (PHP). This annual event is all about fostering connection, networking, and mutual support for those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.

Over the weekend, attendees earned 6 hours of CME and learned from a phenomenal lineup of top experts in Wellness and Recovery:

-Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH (Icahn School of Medicine-Mount Sinai, NY) shared vital insights on multi-level efforts to address healthcare worker well-being, mental health, and responding to sudden tragic loss.

-Jessi Gold, MD (Chief Wellness Officer, University of Tennessee System; Author of How Do You Feel?) delivered a powerful session titled “What About Us? Caring For Ourselves As We Care For Others In Healthcare.”

-Smita Prasad, MD, MBA, MPH, FASAM (Tulane University; LADRA; LSAM) walked us through the intricate science of recovery with “From Reward to Compulsion: the Neurobiology of Addiction.”

-Our very own Medical Director, Michael Baron, MD, MPH, DFASAM, guided us through a critical discussion on “Avoiding the Pot-Holes: Cannabis and Medical Marijuana.”

-A special thank you to Tina Simpson, MD (Medical Director, Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation), who stepped in at a moment's notice to deliver an inspiring message for our Sunday Spiritual Session.

Huge thanks to the Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance - K**A for providing grant support to this incredible event!

And deepest gratitude to all of our incredible speakers and attendees for making this weekend so meaningful. Together, we are building a healthier, more supported healthcare community. 🩺

✨

06/11/2026

We want to express our deepest gratitude to Ross Rainwater - HealthMarkets Insurance for his dedicated and ongoing support of the Tennessee Medical Foundation. Since 2022, Ross’s commitment as a pledge donor has been critical to our mission.

His continuous generosity allows us to save lives and support Tennessee’s during their times of crisis. Thank you to Ross and R2MA/HealthMarkets for your steadfast partnership and belief in Saving Lives, Saving Careers!

06/08/2026

"From the outside, my life looked absolutely perfect ... but I was incredibly depressed, at the height of my active addiction, and all I wanted to do was die."

🩺Too many healthcare professionals are facing this reality -- fighting burnout, mental health challenges, or substance use in silence.

Our new video, "The TMF Impact: Saving Lives and Saving Careers," pulls back the curtain on the Tennessee Medical Foundation's Professionals Health Program (PHP).

Hear directly from graduates who went from crisis to recovery—safely, confidentially, and with their careers intact or restored. Our leaders also share their insights on why they are dedicated to advancing the TMF's work and mission.

Because healers need healing, too.

Watch the full story here 👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQM5jC3vFF8

Drop a 💙 or share this post. Your single click could reach a colleague who needs to see this today.

Special thanks to KGV Studios for bringing these vital stories to light.

This video highlights past participants and TMF Board members whose...

06/04/2026

We are all about the videos lately! 🎬

Today we are thrilled to give you a look at our new animated film, "The TMF Process: How It Works & What to Expect."

The title explains it well. Inspired by a previous resource called "The TMF Journey," this fun video is meant to answer the questions we hear from:

🥼Health professionals referred to our program, and
📞Individuals and organizations making referrals.

So whether you're just curious or might have a need for this information at some point... please watch and let us know your thoughts in the comments. 🍿

Video by KGV Studios; inspired by an illustrated resource created by Aaron Grayum

This video explains what happens when someone is referred to the TM...

06/02/2026

So thrilled to have attended our very first Primary Care Conference for Ballad Health in Kingsport, TN today!

Thank you to Dr. Marta Wayt and other leaders for the invitation. We shared with providers, residents, and medical students the ways in which our program helps address and support their professional and personal health.

06/01/2026

Are you a clinician, treatment program, or evaluator caring for physicians?

Join us for a groundbreaking CME-accredited webinar by the Federation of State Physician Health Programs: "When Physicians Become Patients: Providing Care for General Medical, Mental Health, and Substance Use Disorders."

Navigating the unique clinical, ethical, and interpersonal aspects of treating physician and healthcare professional patients comes with distinct complexities. This session will equip you with actionable tools to manage professional boundaries and peer relationships while delivering high-quality care.

🗓 Date: Wednesday, September 23
🕑 Time: 2:00–4:00 PM CDT (1:00–3:00 PM EDT)
🎓 Credits: 2 CME Credits
👤Featuring Faculty: FSPHP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Chris Bundy and our own TMF Medical Director & FSPHP Past President, Dr. Michael Baron, along with Drs. Paul Earley, Alexis Polles, and Lisa Merlo.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain evidence-informed guidance!

🔗 Register: https://fsphp.mclms.net/en/package/19114/view

Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern TimePricing:  Free for FSPHP Members; $50 for Non-MembersDescriptionWhen a physician becomes a patient, the physician-patient and the treating clinician often discover a complicated care dynamic. The physician-patient brings extensiv...

05/26/2026

Did you know the TMA helped launch the Tennessee Medical Foundation (TMF) 48 years ago? Since day one, they have been an incredible partner.

Today, we are as proud as ever to work alongside them, invested in a vital mission: protecting patients by supporting the health, wellness, and wellbeing of Tennessee’s physicians. 🩺❤️

Thank you, TMA, for nearly five decades of dedication and partnership!

05/25/2026

Honoring those who served and sacrificed for our freedom.

Happy Memorial Day 2026

05/20/2026

💙 New Video Launch: The Power of the PHP 💙

We are proud to share our brand-new Tennessee Medical Foundation (TMF) video! This feature brings together Professionals Health Program (PHP) graduates and volunteer leaders to share the deep mission, history, and life-changing impact of our work.

The TMF-PHP provides a confidential, highly effective path to recovery for healthcare professionals facing mental health challenges, substance use, and burnout.

👇 Watch the video to hear firsthand testimonials about how the PHP helps save careers, restore lives, and protect patients:

https://youtu.be/YQM5jC3vFF8

🩺 Why This Mission Matters:

🫶Powerful Testimonials: Graduates share open stories of recovery and reclaiming their purpose.

💡Leadership Insights: Leaders explain the vital clinical mission behind the TMF.

🫂Stronger Communities: Supporting clinician wellness means safer, healthier care for everyone.

Please watch, like, and share this video to help us break the stigma. Healers need healing, too.

Special thanks to KGV Studios for excellent guidance, compassion, and work on this project!!

This video highlights past participants and TMF Board members whose...

05/14/2026

Surgical complications and Second Victim Syndrome were the topics our Medical Director Dr. Michael Baron addressed today at the expansive Symposium for Cosmetic Advances and Laser Education - SCALE meeting in downtown Nashville today.

Dr. Baron's lecture, titled "Emotional Survival of Complications," discussed perfectionism and other characteristics and factors that can contribute to Second Victim Syndrome for healthcare workers.

What is SVS?

SVS happens when a clinician becomes a "second victim" of a bad outcome or otherwise adverse event. The patient is the primary victim, but the incident also causes profound distress and even trauma for the providers caring for that patient. SVS symptoms include depression, burnout, and debilitating levels of distress, guilt, grief, or shame.

Remedies can include psychotherapy, mindfulness training, and best practice treatment for depression or distress, including help that can be found through a Physician Health Program like the TMF. If you or a colleague is struggling in the wake of patient complications or a bad outcome, we can help. Contact the TMF at 615-467-6411 or [email protected].

Thank you to the organizers of the Music City SCALE for inviting the TMF and Dr. Baron to participate again this year!