Building on their longstanding good relationship, in 2002, Methodist Healthcare and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center formally became affiliated. The affiliation was formed to improve patient care by bringing together the best and brightest physicians from the private community with the greatest minds among academic physicians and educators. Methodist Healthcare is working toward becoming one of the top academic medical centers in the country.

The affiliation agreement made Methodist Healthcare the principal adult private teaching hospital for UTHSC in the Shelby County area. To demonstrate its commitment to UTHSC, Methodist changed the name of its flagship hospital from Methodist Central Hospital to Methodist University Hospital.

Gary Shorb, CEO of Methodist Healthcare, called the coming together of Methodist and UTHSC a "truly an historic moment for our community."  He said the bar has been raised so that everyone involved in providing healthcare at Methodist and UTHSC can learn and improve.

Research shows that the best medical centers in the country are academic medical centers and recent studies demonstrate that mortality rates are lower in major teaching hospitals.