CRMC To Conduct ER Study To Improve Efficiencies

Cookeville Regional Medical Center to perform an ER study in hopes of making its emergency room more efficient.

After struggling with wait times and other issues, CEO Paul Korth said the hospital wanted to explore what steps it can take to better patient care.

“From a process standpoint,” Korth said. “Is our emergency room the right size? So with this project, we’ll be determining whether or not we need to build on, add on, do something with our emergency room.”

Korth said the study will explore the emergency process from start to finish. He said an outside firm will explore at how patient intake works and how patients move through their medical treatment until discharged.

Korth said the hospital has also added additional patient liaisons in hopes of bettering communication. He said the liaisons will also help to be more effective in getting folks in and out of the emergency room as quickly as possible.

“At the end of the day, our whole main goal here is to try to take care of patients in the Upper Cumberland,” Korth said.