Our Story
We care about you.
At Tennessee Center for Internal Medicine, we treat our patients like family. Our Internal Medicine physicians, with more than 50 years of combined healthcare experience, are uniquely qualified to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, as well as health maintenance and preventative care services. Our warm and friendly staff is always ready to assist you and answer any questions you may have.
Our physicians, office staff, ancillary and laboratory personnel operate as a team to give you the most thorough and complete medical care available. The team combines individual expertise, experience and positive interaction with patients and family to serve as an advocate for our patients in all health-related matters, including the appropriate use of consultants, health services and community resources.
As part of the Summit Medical Group family of physicians, Tennessee Center for Internal Medicine is proud to offer our patients access to a host of additional services as well, including four conveniently located express clinics, Summit Sleep Services, physical therapy, laboratory services and ancillary services for testing and diagnostics. That is the Summit Advantage.
For experienced, quality health care and the very latest in medical technology, you can trust the medical team at Tennessee Center for Internal Medicine.
Our History
Since its founding as a single-physician practice in 1989, the Tennessee Center for Internal Medicine has grown both in number of physicians and in our commitment to providing the highest-quality primary care services to our patients. As internal medicine physicians, TCIM doctors specialize in and are dedicated to adult medicine.
The practice now comprises a team of three physicians (who have more than 50 years combined practice experience), a nurse practitioner, and a physician assistant, along with nurses and administrative staff. TCIM has maintained its current location in the Fort Sanders West complex for 20 years.
Patients benefit from onsite X-ray and laboratory, Electronic Medical Records and electronic prescribing. TCIM has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for the high quality of its diabetes and heart/stroke care, as well as for attaining Level 3 (the highest) recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home.
Our practice philosophy centers on preventive and wellness care, as well as managing, alleviating or reversing chronic conditions to help patients live the fullest and healthiest lives possible.
TCIM joined Summit Medical Group in 1996, when the fledgling physicians group had just begun is mission to create practice environments in which the very best primary care physicians could concentrate their efforts on what they do best – returning patients to health and maintaining wellness. Most administrative functions are handled at headquarters, and physician practices are supported by ancillary services such as after-hours clinics, central laboratory, physical therapy centers, imaging centers and a sleep services center. Summit now includes almost 220 physicians in 60 practices in 12 East Tennessee counties.
Prevention
Preventive care is the hallmark of internal medicine, and often results in long-term cost savings on health care. In order to help our patients avoid preventable and costly illness, we offer routine exams, screenings and immunizations including annual flu shots.
Diagnostics
As primary care physicians, we are expertly equipped to diagnose and treat a host of medical conditions from the simple to the complex. Our state-of-the-art facility is equipped with on-site diagnostic equipment such as EKG (electrocardiogram heart monitor), X-ray, pulmonary function testing, and audiometry (for hearing testing).
Coordinated care
One of the jobs of a primary care physician is to coordinate patient care. We use Electronic Medical Records (EMR) to keep comprehensive charts for each patient, including records received from other physicians, clinics and hospitals. It makes complete patient information accessible right in the examination room, enabling our physicians to make informed diagnosis and treatment decisions. Additionally, we use e-prescribing to speed up the prescription process and reduce medication errors.