Cookeville Regional will construct a new endoscopy suite to expand local access to gastroenterology services and meet a growing demand for specialized care in the region.
Marketing and Communications Director Hannah Davis said the project is a direct response to a community need. Davis said the medical center identified this requirement and incorporated the expansion into its master plan to ensure residents can receive care without traveling.
“There’s a need for this service, for endoscopy procedures,” Davis said. “And so as we see that need, we work in our master plan to know how we can meet that need. And now we get to bring that forward and expand this particular service for our community so that they don’t have to travel far from home to receive the best in healthcare, especially when it comes to gastroenterology endoscopy cases.”
Davis said the new suite will feature four procedure rooms and 10 pre- and post-procedure rooms. Davis said the larger footprint allows the hospital to accommodate current patient volumes while preparing for future growth as more gastroenterologists are recruited to the area.
“These suites are going to be new, state-of-the-art, of course, and we’re excited to deliver these exceptional experiences for our community,” Davis said. “This will be a larger space than what we have currently to be able to accommodate more patients.”
Davis said the facility is located on the first floor of the medical center adjacent to the operating rooms and the same-day surgery waiting area. Davis said the location was chosen so all necessary services are centralized for patients regardless of their specific procedure.
“It is built to be in the same area so that everything is there for the patient, whether no matter what procedure they’re having,” Davis said. “Anytime we have a construction plan in place, there is a lot of preparation work that happens for months before that. So as we lead up to those months, the operational side is talked through and planned.”
Davis said the hospital is utilizing signage and staff members to help patients and visitors navigate the facility during the construction process. Davis said the project includes strict regulations for air control and communication to ensure patient care remains the priority.
“We hope that our patients are understanding that we’re doing this to grow for our community and bring them the best services close to home,” Davis said. “We are going to have a dedicated team working diligently to just minimize any patient disruptions and visitors and staff as well.”
Construction on the new endoscopy suite is expected to continue through February 2027.