CRMC To Apply For Grant To Aid 4 And 5 West Upgrades And Renovations

Cookeville Regional Medical Center set to apply for some $10.6 million for work on the 4 and 5 West capital project.

CFO Tommye Rena Wells said the opportunity for the grant funding came from the Tennessee Healthcare Resiliency Program at the Tennessee Department of Health. She said the goal of the funding program is to help underserved communities make necessary upgrades to improve hospital efficiencies and operations.

“This 4-West/5-West project will increase 20 inpatient beds, and provide a six-bed hemodialysis suite,” Wells said. “And improve the functionality of 30 additional existing rooms that we currently have.”

Wells said preliminary engineer estimates put the project at a total of around $21 million. The hospital board initially began the project in September of 2021 when it began architectural and engineering design plans.

Wells said the hospital will submit the application by early February. She said they hope to hear back by April.

“And all we’re asking for and doing tonight is authorizing that yes if we get the grant, yes if we get the project, then yes we will commit to doing the matching of whatever we get,” Wells said. “We’re not committing money, we’re not borrowing anything yet, we’re just saying if we get the grant that we as an institution will find the means to match that.”

Wells said if the grant funding is received, they are required to spend it within the next few years.