Changes at STRHS-Sewanee Hospital
by Leslie Lytle,Messenger Staff Writer
Carolyn Sparks, Chief Operating Officer for Southern Tennessee Regional Health System Winchester-Sewanee, confirmed on June 22 that acute care patients at the Sewanee hospital were being sent to Winchester. The Emergency Room and Skilled Care wing at Sewanee are still in operation.
STRHS declined to give a formal statement on the change.
“Like a lot of the hospitals across the country, we’ve made some operational changes at both the Sewanee campus and the Winchester campus as part of our emergency response plan for COVID-19,” said Abby Pickett, Marketing and Communications Coordinator. “I can reassure you Sewanee is safe and open for business.”
Pickett declined to say whether or not sending Sewanee patients to Winchester for acute care would be a permanent practice. “We’re adapting our operations. It’s very fluid during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve implemented a lot of operational changes to keep our patients, our providers, and our community safe.”
On June 15, STRHS-Winchester acquired Winchester based Therapy Works. The press release stated, “This expansion gives STRHS - Winchester the opportunity to grow its therapy services to better serve the residents of Franklin County and its surrounding communities in southern middle Tennessee and beyond. The expanded Physical Therapy & Rehab Services will have three locations at 100 Bible Crossing Road in Decherd, and 1260 University Avenue in Sewanee, and 94 Hospital Road in Winchester, Tennessee.”
Asked if plans still called for “expanded Physical Therapy & Rehab Services” at STRHS-Sewanee, Pickett said, “We have three physical therapy locations right now, one in Decherd, one in Winchester, and one in Sewanee. At this time the Sewanee physical therapy unit is still operational.”