CRMC Trustee Owens Honored As He Steps Down
The Cookeville Regional Board of Trustees honored Dr. Carl Owens for his work on the board during their Thursday meeting. Owens will be stepping down after six years of service. He said it has been his pleasure to serve on the board. “I will continue to be an advocate for CRMC having been in this […]
Foundation Donates Tablets For Students With Disabilities
The Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation donated new equipment to the Putnam County School System to assist students with disabilities. Foundation Director John Bell said the adaptive tablets meant to assist students with communication. Bell said the tablets would be given to the families of the students, allowing them to use these tools outside of school […]
CRMC Reps To Lobby Against 80-Year Old ER Law
Cookeville Regional CEO Buffy Key headed to the state capital to testify against a law that prevents the hospital from hiring certain members of the ER team. Key said the “PARE Law” was put in place in the 1940s. It forces non-teaching medical facilities to contract pathologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, and other ER workers from outside […]
CRMC To Buildout New Wound Care Center On Cedar
The Cookeville Regional Finance Committee voted Tuesday night to move forward with renovations to a building that will house the hospital’s Wound Care Center. CFO Tommye Rena Wells said the estimated cost for the project will not exceed $500,000. CEO Buffy Key said the hospital has been leasing the space from a local medical facility, […]
CRMC Pet Buddy Program Searching For Volunteers To Expand
Cookeville Regional’s Pet Buddy Program is looking for volunteers to help expand its services and better support patients. Volunteer Service Coordinator Cyndi Maxwell said they are searching for people who are willing to volunteer their dogs to be used as pet therapy animals. Maxwell said they are looking to expand because they currently have only […]
CRMC Wants To Hire American Sign Language Interpreter
Cookeville Regional Medical Center is hiring an American Sign Language interpreter to serve increased demand. Director of Patient Experience Craig Norris said eliminating communication barriers is proven to result in increased patient satisfaction and comfort. He said studies show that better language interpretation decreases adverse medical outcomes and improves adherence to medical advice. “It’s really […]
CRMC Will Not Postpone Surgeries Amid Low Blood Supply
Cookeville Regional Medical Center has no plans of canceling or postponing elective surgeries amid low blood inventory across the region. Blood Assurance announced late Thursday they had asked the hospitals served across the region to postpone elective surgeries until the blood supply is replenished. Snow and cold have cancelled blood drives and kept residents from […]
CRMC ER Wait Times Trending Up Alongside COVID, Flu, RSV Numbers
Wait times at Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room have trended longer with the extra volume due to flu, COVID, and RSV. White County EMS discussed the growing wait times for arriving ambulances at a County Steering Committee meeting this week. Cookeville Regional Emergency Department Director Samantha McLerran said wait times are constantly fluctuating, making […]
White County EMS Trying To Avoid Tying Up Units In Cookeville
White County EMS exploring a policy change to allow ambulances to take patients elsewhere when Cookeville Regional has long ER waits. EMS Director Mike Kerr said those picked up by ambulance have the right to choose which hospital to visit, so long as it borders White County. Kerr said CRMC wait times are often well […]
CRMC Sets Visitation Restrictions Amid COVID-19, Flu Spike
Cookeville Regional Medical Center has implemented visitation restrictions due to surging flu and COVID-19 numbers. Infection Prevention Manager Stephanie Etter said COVID-19 hospitalizations have spiked some 60 percent in the last two weeks. Etter said starting Thursday, people under 16-years-old, and anyone showing signs of illness will not be permitted to visit the hospital. “If […]
