Fentress In Talks With Investors On Medical Services

County officials are in talks with investors exploring the return of emergency services to Fentress County.

County Executive Jimmy Johnson met with the investor group Friday. He said county residents have been without a local hospital for 11 months.

“We’re just keeping our fingers crossed at this time, that something will work out, and hopefully it does,” Johnson said. “We’re not promising anything because nothing is set in concrete, they’re just doing some exploratory work at this time to see the ability of being here.”

Since November 2018 county officials have worked to reopen the Jamestown hospital. Johnson said since Rennova entered the scene, progress has gone downhill. He said the next step is to wait for the investors to present an operations plan.

“First you gotta pay to the need, then you gotta have someone that will come in and do it,” Johnson said. “But before that they have to figure how they’re getting paid and then you get you a bill. That’s where we’re at and that’s the road we’ve always been on, that’s the road we went, and that’s what we’re continuing to do.”

Not only is public health a concern, but also the economy. Johnson said without a local hospital, people don’t want to move to the area. He said the county needs a hospital like rain in the desert.

“That’s how bad that it is, our ambulance services are having to make three hour trips,” Johnson said. “There was just a 30 to 45 minute trip when we were here at our hospital and our emergency room. The emergency room is the backbone of your whole community.”

Johnson said he stays in contact with the State Commissioner of Health to map out the next steps for the county.