By Laura Freeman

From cornerstone to completion in less than two years, the new Cooper Green Medical Center opened with a ribbon cutting November 20. A phased move, department by department, has begun to allow a near-seamless transition through December with a few finishing touches as clinics settle into their new home.

“We will be leading with urgent care and cancer treatment, then begin moving the specialty clinics, as much as possible over weekends so they will be ready to see patients on Monday,” David Randall, CEO of Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority and Chief Strategy Officer for UAB Health System, said. “It’s going to be exciting working in such a beautiful, well-designed facility. So much thought has gone into creating a space that will allow us to enhance quality and expand the services we offer our patients. I’m confident it will become a national benchmark for improving care in the communities we serve.

“I’m particularly excited about the physical therapy department. It’s unlike any I’ve seen in this area. There are both indoor and outdoor facilities, including a veranda where patients can do their therapy in the fresh air. There’s a water therapy area, low impact water treadmill and a zero G gait system. Overall the department has the look and feel of a first-class gym.

“We have a new MRI, and the pharmacy is larger and designed for better flow to make it easier for patients to pick up prescriptions. There is an eye clinic with optical shop, and the hematology/oncology clinic has infusion bays where patients can receive treatment in a semiprivate space with natural light and entertainment.”

Returning patients are probably already be familiar with the new parking deck that was completed earlier in cooperation with UAB. Now they will be able to walk straight from the parking deck into urgent care with easy access to primary care and clinics.

  Designed by architect Gresham Smith and built by Brasfield & Gorrie, the 211,000 square feet of space on Sixth Avenue South will also house a range of on-site specialty clinics similar to those in the Kirklin Clinic. These will be situated over four of the five stories with some of the space on the fifth floor reserved for support facilities and future growth. The center also offers several multipurpose spaces that can be used for meetings, education and training seminars. There is also a walking trail for patients and employees.

“As a county hospital, most of our patients come from Jefferson County,” Randall said. “However, anyone who needs our help is welcome. About a third of our patients have insurance and some have Medicare or Medicaid. Our mission is to provide quality health care when it’s needed. No one should have to wait for access until their economic circumstances are better.

“The new facilities are fantastic, but one of our greatest strengths is the commitment of our staff. Those who choose to work in a county hospital are special people. Their first motivation has to come from the heart. They go into health care because they want to help others.”

Originally known as Mercy Hospital when it opened in 1972, it was renamed to honor former mayor Cooper Green. As the next generation hospital, urgent care facility and clinics move into the rhythm of a new setting, Randal looks forward to expanding its outreach in preventive medicine and wellness.

“Why wait for someone to become sick and come to us?” he said. “If we can go to them and show them how to stay healthy and avoid diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and so many other preventable conditions, they win with a better quality of life. The county’s health care budget also wins with more dollars that can be used to help someone else.

“Community outreach offering services like flu and pneumonia shots doesn’t just save expensive hospitalizations. It can save lives.”

When people need the best of life-saving care for serious illnesses and injuries, the new Cooper Green Medical Center is here for them. It is also here for them to help protect their health so they can enjoy every day of a longer, healthier life.