CRMC Starting 4W/5W Expansion Project July 5th

Construction on Cookeville Regional’s 4W/5W project set to begin Wednesday, increasing the hospital’s bed capacity.

The project is set to cost some $16.4 million. Marketing and Communications Director Hannah Davis said it will add 40 additional beds as well as a six-unit dialysis center.

“This is going to better meet the needs of patients in our community and we have not had a bed expansion in decades so this is huge for our medical center,” Davis said. “We have an excellent project management crew that is working to make sure that patient care isn’t disrupted during this.”

Davis said the work starts with the fifth-floor renovation this year and then moves to the 4th floor in the second year. She said current project estimates a timeline of about two years to complete all the work.

Davis said when looking to add additional beds to the medical center, the most cost-effective and expedient approach was to renovate and expand 5 West, which was empty and used to hold a behavioral health unit. In addition, she said 4 West had not been upgraded since the 70s.

“Our promise is to keep providing excellent, high-quality care for our patients and their families during this exciting time of expansion, and we appreciate our community’s patience,” Interim CEO Buffy Key said.

Davis said visitors and patients can expect to see increased foot traffic and potentially some noise, but it will be kept to a minimum.