As Birmingham, Ala.-based Cooper Green Mercy Hospital continues to struggle financially, the county is preparing to vote on whether or not the hospital will be allowed to dip into the county's general fund for financial support, according to a Birmingham News report.
According to the news report, Cooper Green obtained $9 million in funding from the county's general fund and $41.2 million from the indigent care fund in fiscal year 2010. Of Cooper Green's patients, 45 percent are indigent care patients with no insurance. Some, including Max Michael, MD, who previously served as administrator of Cooper Green, believe the hospital should operate as a clinic and merge its emergency and other services to other hospitals.
But shifting services to other area hospitals such as UAB Health System could pose some other problems. Will Ferniany, CEO of UAB Health System, said the system's emergency department would not be able to handle Cooper Green's emergency patient load. Similarly, Baptist Health Systems CEO Shane Spees said the system already provides $29 million in charity care and can't afford to take on any more indigent care patients.
Read the news report about Cooper Green Mercy Hospital.
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According to the news report, Cooper Green obtained $9 million in funding from the county's general fund and $41.2 million from the indigent care fund in fiscal year 2010. Of Cooper Green's patients, 45 percent are indigent care patients with no insurance. Some, including Max Michael, MD, who previously served as administrator of Cooper Green, believe the hospital should operate as a clinic and merge its emergency and other services to other hospitals.
But shifting services to other area hospitals such as UAB Health System could pose some other problems. Will Ferniany, CEO of UAB Health System, said the system's emergency department would not be able to handle Cooper Green's emergency patient load. Similarly, Baptist Health Systems CEO Shane Spees said the system already provides $29 million in charity care and can't afford to take on any more indigent care patients.
Read the news report about Cooper Green Mercy Hospital.
Related Articles on Hospital Funding:
$864M UConn Health Center Expansion Gains Final Approval
New Hampshire Budget Includes $250M in Cuts to Hospitals
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Receives $10M Gift for Pediatric Medicine