News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville Regional Finance Committee voted Tuesday night to move forward with renovations to a building that will house the hospital’s Wound Care Center.
CFO Tommye Rena Wells said the estimated cost for the project will not exceed $500,000. CEO Buffy Key said the hospital has been leasing the space from a local medical facility, which needed the space to recruit more surgeons.
“It was almost kind of simultaneously,” Key said. “We were like, gosh, we really need some more space. We see a lot of wound care patients and we always need more general surgeons, so it was just kind of a mutually agreeable thing. So, kind of both our our ideas.”
Key said the new center at 445 North Cedar Avenue should be ready by May 1, 2025.
“We serve 14 counties, so we have a lot of people with wounds that need wound care for outpatient,” Key said. “They come into the ER, so that way, we can get them appointments over at the wound care center, so that’s good.”
Wells said the new facility will use a bulk oxygen system, saving the hospital some $40,000 annually in oxygen costs. Wells said the new space will be big enough to add two extra exam rooms. Chief Legal Council Luke Hill said the new building has been owned by the hospital for years, but has not been used for anything. He said the space is some 4,000 square feet and will be a good space for its new purpose.
