Thomas F. Frist Sr.

Thomas F. Frist Sr.
HCA founders (left to right) Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., Jack Massey, Dr. Thomas Frist Jr.
Born	Thomas Fearn Frist December 15, 1910 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	January 4, 1998(1998-01-04) (aged 87) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	University of Mississippi Vanderbilt University
Occupation	Physician, businessman
Children	Bill Frist Thomas F. Frist Jr..
Relatives	Thomas F. Frist, III (grandson)

Thomas Fearn Frist Sr. (December 15, 1910 – January 4, 1998) was an American physician and businessman.

Thomas Fearn Frist Sr. was born on December 15, 1910 in Meridian, Mississippi, the son of Jennie (James) Frist and Jacob C. Frist. He received his undergraduate education from the University of Mississippi and his medical degree from Vanderbilt University.

Frist began his career as a cardiologist in the Nashville area. In 1968, with his son, Dr. Thomas F. Frist Jr., and Jack C. Massey, who helped Harland Sanders create the Kentucky fried chicken chain, he founded Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the largest private operator of health care facilities in the world, taking the company public in 1969. He is widely regarded as "the father of the modern for-profit hospital system" in the U.S.

He was married to Dorothy Cate, and they had three sons and two daughters: Thomas F. Frist Jr. (physician/businessman/philanthropist); Robert A. Frist (physician); Bill Frist (physician/U.S. Senator); Dorothy F. Boensch; and Mary F. Barfield.

He died in Nashville on January 4, 1998.