Healthcare Company To Visit Cumberland River Hospital For Lease Opportunity

A Florida-based healthcare company will visit Celina’s Cumberland River Hospital later this month to further evaluate the facility.

Over the past few years, Braden Health has purchased and reopened four other hospitals in Tennessee. Celina Mayor Luke Collins said the date set tentatively September 28th.

“I wish I felt confident enough that the city could buy it and the city could run it, but I’d be honest with you based on what I know, I think it is too big of a gamble for the city of Celina,” Collins said. “I think leasing it to Braden Healthcare or some other healthcare group is our best option.”

Collins said Celina lacks the financial means to staff healthcare workers. Collins also said city officials lack the knowledge on equipment.

“The scary thing about the hospital part is the billing,” Collins said. “If you don’t get the billing correct, you can lose a ton of money in a very short time. We do have people in this community that have expertise, but right now, our best option would be to work with Braden Healthcare or something else.”

However, Cumberland River Hospital remains under Johnny Presley’s ownership. Collins said an agreement has yet to be reached, but Presley and Collins are set to meet next week to continue negotiations.

“Hopefully, next week I’ll get to meet with Johnny Presley and have a tour of the hospital, take some pictures of equipment and create an inventory list and a rough estimate of what these things are worth,” Collins said. “If we have that information, we can provide it to the county court.”

Collins said during that meeting, he wants to get an estimate on the equipment at the facility. Then, create a package to present to the Clay County Commission seeking financial help to purchase the hospital.

“Through a partnership, we can pull it off,” Collins said.