Find a Doctor

Try a search...

ABOUT US

A Century of Care

WHERE IT STARTED

Delivering innovative healthcare. All for the community.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS

From humble origins located in a small facility just a few blocks away to now the premier healthcare institution in the region, Cookeville Regional Medical Center has seen tremendous growth throughout the last 100 years.

It all began with one man’s vision. That man was Dr. William Howard, who was described as a “kind and unselfish citizen who only administers kind treatment to those who come in contact with him.” He was also described as a “man of vision, a man of action and a pioneer” when the Tennessee Academy of Family Practitioners named him General Practitioner of the Year in 1962.

It’s fitting that the founder of what would eventually become Cookeville Regional Medical Center is described that way, as compassionate care is at the center of everything we do.

His vision inspired many local surgeons who had seen the brutal results of World War II to come home to serve residents with needed medical care instead of having to travel what used to be four hours to Nashville for care.

When it came to the point that Dr. Howard could not keep the hospital open any longer, the citizens stepped up and asked the city to help.

All of this happened at a time when healthcare services were desperately needed, as contagious diseases, such as smallpox, typhoid, scarlet fevers, flu, diphtheria, whooping cough, meningitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis were going around.

Not much was known about those diseases at that time, but doctors still found innovative ways to get the citizens the best healthcare possible – all without leaving home.

After all, innovation is at the core of Cookeville Regional’s existence.

MISSION

Building Healthier
Communities

VISION

Exceptional Care to Every
Patient Every Day

VALUES

W

Working Together

We create a culture of teamwork where we value and nurture our greatest assets — our physicians and staff — and build an environment of mutual trust, respect and best practices.

E

Excellence

We consistently exceed expectations by representing the highest ethical and moral standards.

C

Compassionate Care

We put others first in a spirit of warmth and friendliness that respects the dignity of all.

A

Accountability

We remain financially strong and committed to ensuring sustainability as part of our community responsibility.

R

Regional

We lead our region’s healthcare with integrity, innovation, education and service.

E

Empowerment

We empower our physicians and staff to do the right thing.

Leadership

Administration: 931-738-2000

Buffy Key

Interim CEO

Tommye Rena Wells

Chief Financial Officer

Luke Hill

Chief Legal Counsel

Bruce "DW" Johnson, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Chevelle Johnson

Interim Chief Nursing Officer

Joseph Jestus, MD

Medical Staff President

Tim McDermott

Chief Information Officer

Angel Lewis

Senior Vice President of Human Resources

Fiscal year 2022 highlights: July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022

Everything Cookeville Regional does is for the community.

As a city-owned hospital, there is no corporate enterprise dictating what services or specialties we can or cannot offer. CRMC is financially independent in that there are zero tax dollars issued to fund operations.

Cookeville Regional pays the City of Cookeville $700,000 each year in lieu of taxes and every dollar made goes right back into the hospital to fund new and improved services.

Supporting the mission of "Building Healthier Communities," Cookeville Regional has reinvested millions of dollars over the past five years back into the hospital to help meet the healthcare needs of the region.

Cookeville Regional continues to grow, continues to invest in the best, state-of-the-art equipment and techniques with the ultimate goal of bringing the best healthcare to the residents of the Upper Cumberland. After all, it is the way we care.

Emergency room visits

48,838

Newborn deliveries

1,477

Inpatient admissions

13,357

Outpatient visits

181,926

Surgeries

9,726

Heart procedures

3,868

Charity/uncompensated care (charity care and uncollected debt for services)

$29,859,447

Salaries, wages and benefits

$212,855,810

Physicians

175

Employees

2,484

Board of Trustees

Cookeville Regional Medical Center is overseen by a board of trustees. They appoint the CEO, approve the budget and audit and purchases. Members are appointed by the city council, except for the Cookeville city mayor and the medical staff president. They meet the fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.