Cumberland River Hospital Considering New Clinic In Gainesboro

A new health clinic may be coming to Jackson County.

County Mayor Randy Heady said he’s trying to partner with the new owners of Cumberland River Hospital (CRH).

“That’s really needed in our little town,” Heady said. “Our main doctor is Dr. Doug Dycus and we have another doctors office there, but doctors can only see so many patients. If you can’t get in to see a doctor, we’re losing 100-percent of those patients to another county’s urgent care or Satellite Med. We’d like to keep those patients at home.”

Heady said CRH owners have identified a location for the clinic in downtown Gainesboro.

“They have a building that they have interest in and I know there’s been some communications about acquiring that building,” Heady said. “I also know that they’ve negotiated a deal with a doctor. There’s a doctor that wants to locate in Gainesboro and hire a couple of younger physicians.”

CRH had originally planned to have the clinic opened by the first of the year. Heady said that’s no longer a realistic time frame.

“That’s been pushed back. I know Cumberland River has been waiting to get their Medicare number so they can actually bill for services,” Heady said. “That’s kind of held that up, so I’m hoping that this can come to realization and that we can actually get a new clinic.”

Heady said CRH talked about having a diagnostic center in the new clinic, along with an X-ray machine.