COOKEVILLE– Roy Anderson, MD, was presented with the 31st annual Fred H. Roberson Award on Thursday, Aug. 22 at Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s (CRMC) monthly board of trustees meeting. CRMC CEO Paul Korth made the presentation, citing Anderson’s 45-year career and dedication to his patients and the betterment of healthcare in the community.
A native of Byrdstown, Anderson completed his undergraduate studies at Tennessee Tech University and went on to medical school in Memphis. After completing his medical degree at the University of Tennessee and his internal medicine internship and residency at the City of Memphis Hospital, he moved back to Cookeville in 1974 and began his medical practice with fellow physicians Dr. Phillip Bertram and Dr. Stan Erwin.
Since then, Anderson has maintained a busy internal medicine practice in Cookeville, taking care of thousands of patients not only in his private practice but at CRMC too. He has served on numerous hospital medical staff committees. He worked in the ER seeing patients for a time when the hospital was still known as Cookeville General Hospital. He then eventually opened a walk-in urgent care clinic, known as Quality Medical Center. Today his practice is located within the Cookeville Regional Urgent Care Clinic.
Anderson has been committed to caring for people who often lack the ability to seek care. For many years, he traveled out of town to care for patients in the prison population. He has also worked with Plateau Mental Health Center to provide care to patients who suffer from alcoholism and drug addiction. He has served as a medical consultant at Plateau Mental Health Center since 1977 and as medical director of the New Leaf Recovery Program since 1987.
As stated in his nomination letter, “he is one of the most knowledgeable providers in our area for the treatment of drug addiction. He is recognized for his commitment in helping people stop addictive behaviors and free themselves from the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction. He has truly been on the front lines of our society’s war with prescription drug abuse. As a result of his commitment, he has helped many patients resume productive lives in society after conquering their addictions.”
The Roberson Award is named for Fred Roberson who served on the hospitals’ board of trustees for 27 years. The award is presented annually to the individual who best exemplifies the same dedicated and loyal service to CRMC and its patients as was demonstrated by Roberson. Previous recipients have been Dr. Thurman Shipley, H.S. Barnes, Dr. J.T. Moore, Jr., Dr. Claude Williams, Eleen Harkins, Jean Davis, Dr. William Francis, Senator Tommy Burks, Dr. William Taylor, Reverend Lexie Freeman, Dr. Alex Case, Dr. Katherine Bertram, the CRMC Auxiliary, Linda Crawford, Dr. Walter Derryberry, Dr. J.T. DeBerry, Dr. Charles Womack, Dr. Opless Walker, Dr. Charles Jordan, Linda Buchanan, Dr. David Henson, Dr. Sullivan Smith, Dr. Jeff Crosier, Dr. Lee Ray Crowe, Dr. Glenn Hall, Dr. James Gray, Dr. Sam Barnes, Randy Todd and Barbara Davis.
