Jefferson Co. officials finalize medical contracts for Cooper Green | News

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL (WBRC)- Critics of Jefferson County's transition of Cooper Green Mercy from a hospital to an urgent care center say patients are still having issues getting medical care.

Thursday, Anna Brown with the Committee to Save Cooper Green, handed out flyers to patients.

"If you are a patient with a blue card and you have any problem with getting your medicine, getting your prescription renewed, if you go for medical treatment and they turn you down, call us," Brown said.

Brown, along with others, contend patients are struggling getting access to medical care.

"We've got doctors concerned about this experiment. We got some say it's a disaster," Rep. Mary Moore said.

"I've been taking patients to different hospitals and different doctors trying to get them in," Shelia Tyson said.

Tyson says she has been transporting patients without insurance around this week trying get them medical care at other hospitals.

Thursday Jefferson County Commissioners approved a contract with UAB to provide specialty care for patients at Cooper Green Mercy Urgent Care. Recently the commission also approved a contract with Jefferson Clinic PC to continue to provide doctors at the Cooper Green clinics.

The contract with the doctors group dropped from $12 million to about $3 million. The county cut the number of Jefferson Clinic doctors and contracted out directly to UAB. Commissioners say they will bring more doctors on board if needed.

"We will monitor it. Quite frankly we have the money, if we need to add an extra gynecologist, we will do it," Carrington said.

Commissioners say it's been a difficult transition but it should work out financially better for taxpayers and better for Cooper Green patients.

"I think it's going to work. It's a change. It's a big change and sometimes it slows the process and not everyone is going to be happy," Joe Knight, Jefferson County Commissioner, said.

Jefferson County commissioners plan to step up their communications with patients to insure they are keeping appointments and getting medical care.

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