Wheaton: Communication Between Hospital And City Council Should Continue Expanding

The CRMC Medical Team spent time with Cookeville City Council Monday, something Mayor Laurin Wheaton said she wants to continue.

Wheaton said communication is an integral part of the relationship between the council and the medical facility. She said while it is a city-owned hospital, the council does not actually control the day-t0-day.

“But we also know that when there are problems and concerns with the hospital, most people come to us as the city council,” Wheaton said. “So I wanted to make sure my fellow councilmembers would have enough information to be able to answer those questions when they come to them.”

Wheaton said the main goal is to have transparency for the hospital team, the city council, and the public. She said having an easy flow of communication will help the council and the hospital work as a team to make sure the community gets the care it needs.

Wheaton said open communication will be important as conversations continue about growing pains in the city and at the medical facility. She said they know a hospital expansion is on the horizon and the city council wants to be able to support those needs as they come.

“We are community leaders and it’s a community hospital so we want to make sure we are as being as helpful as possible and as involved as possible and when the hospital needs something, we want the hospital to turn around and be able to come to us, it’s a two-way street,” Wheaton said. “We want them to be able to come to us, talk to us, and say here are the things we’re seeing the needs that we have, so the council can return and help out the hospital. We have to work together, it just doesn’t work any other way.”

Wheaton said she appreciates Interim CEO Buffy Key’s and previous CEO Paul Korth’s desire for transparency and communications between the two entities,