Cookeville Regional has Something Cuddly in Store for Pediatric Patients

The Patient Liaisons at Cookeville Regional Medical Center have something cuddly for pediatric patients who are seen in the emergency room (ER).

Teddy bears are now available for pediatric patients who might need some extra comfort while they are being seen in the ER at Cookeville Regional.

Charlotte Hall, ER Patient Liaison, is excited about offering this to patients.

“Patient liaisons are here to help our patients and address their concerns or special needs that may arise during their time with us in the ER. We are not clinical but work to find the correct resources for our patients. We see pediatric patients come in, and they are a little overwhelmed or even frightened, so we partnered with the Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation to purchase super soft teddy bears to give them a little extra comfort,” said Hall.

The Patient Liaison program at Cookeville Regional currently has four liaisons located in the ER, surgery, same-day surgery, and inpatient floors. They are not 24/7, but there is hope the program will continue to grow.

“This has proven to be a wonderful program for our medical center. The liaison works directly with various members of the healthcare team, hospital departments, and leadership to solve problems that patients and families may have with the goal of facilitating a positive patient experience during their time in the facility,” says Craig Norris, Patient Experience director. “We hope to continue expanding the departments that have a need for the program.”