CRMC board recommends buyer for Celina hospital

By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ

COOKEVILLE – The Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC) board voted to continue pursuing the highest bidder for Cumberland River Hospital (CRH) and after doing their due diligence and ensuring that the funds are available, to recommend them to the city of Cookeville as a purchaser. According to Paul Korth, CRMC CEO, the city of Cookeville wanted to have the final say in the disposition of the property.

The high bid received was $500,000 from the Osborn Group of West Chester, Ohio, with Timothy Osborn listed as the Senior Consultant / Board of Advisor Member. 

“We’ve looked at it several different ways,” said Korth, addressing the board. “We could probably sell the assets. We could probably sell the home health license. We probably could sell the property. We probably as a cumulative could get more than the $500,000 bid. It would take some time…but based on the offer that we received and based upon the fact that they do want to open it and run the hospital as a medical center facility there, I think that would be in the best interest for that community of course and also us, because we can continue to partner with them and work with them definitely on cases that they can’t do in Celina and give them support running the hospital.”

The proposal stated that the Osborn group was comprised of “interested parties representing the community of Celina, TN and other qualified individuals working together to reopen and acquire the former Cumberland River Hospital location.” 

The Osborn Group has already taken the preliminary steps toward the purchase and reopening of the hospital, including reaching out to the state about transferring the licensing. 

Mandy Hayes, APRN FNP-C, is actively serving as a local advisor to address the policy and procedures for the delivery of quality healthcare at the new facility.

Michelle Price is the former managing editor of the Upper Cumberland Business Journal and can be reached via email. Send an email.

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