CRMC Resumes Elective Cases, Will Be Day-To-Day Decision

Despite rising COVID numbers, Cookeville Regional resumed elective surgeries Monday.

CEO Paul Korth said going forward, the decision on surgeries will change rapidly with case counts.

“This is going to be something that fluctuates and this is one of our search plans that that helps us kind of get over some some critical areas,” Korth said. “But we did start surgery back on Monday, and we just hope we can continue through the through the end of the end of the calendar year because we know we have a lot of individuals, that at the end of the year, with deductibles being met and stuff, they get a lot of their procedures done at the end of the year.”

Korth said he hopes the Medical Center can remain open to elective procedures through the end of the year. As of Tuesday, Cookeville Regional is treating 66 COVID patients with 14 in intensive care.

“I mean, we’re at a critical level,” Korth said. “We shuffle and manage and move patients around on a daily basis, but until the region starts taking this seriously and starts trying to prevent the spread of this COVID, we’re at critical levels.”

State Health Department data reported 116 new cases in Putnam County Tuesday.