Tenn. Code Ann. § 41-2-118: Medical care of prisoners

(a) Where any county has a health officer and jail physician, the person shall attend on all workhouse prisoners while they remain in the jail building after sentence to the workhouse and give them medicine and medical treatment as may be necessary. The health officer and physician shall receive no additional compensation for the services other than the person's regular salary.

(b) Where there is no health officer and jail physician, the county may contract for services with a private physician.