Cooper Green Mercy Health Services
Cooper Green’s enrollment specialists help identify eligible patients and ensure they have a smooth transition to getting the ongoing care they need. has begun stationing enrollment specialists at UAB St. Vincent’s Birmingham and UAB St. Vincent’s East emergency departments to help patients meet their needs for ongoing outpatient healthcare.
An enrollment specialist helps uninsured and underinsured Jefferson County residents enroll in Cooper Green’s outpatient care plans. Patients who qualify for Cooper Green services and enroll during their stay or shortly thereafter can have their ED visit or inpatient stay paid for by Cooper Green in most cases.
“We’ve found that those most in need of our services are often very sick, sometimes due to not having access to healthcare for many years, if ever,” said Cooper Green Administrator Laura Hurst. “So, it’s no surprise that we are finding people in EDs and hospital beds who just need someone to help them enroll here at Cooper Green. We are showing up where they are, when they are in need. This connection — in person, right when they need it — makes a difference. It helps with the stress of the cost in the moment, and for the long-term, the goal is to help them get healthier and avoid the next ED or hospital visit altogether.”
According to national health data, almost 16 percent of Jefferson County’s roughly 667,000 residents are living below the national poverty line. An estimated 58,000-plus individuals age 65 or younger lack health insurance. Individuals who do not have access to a primary care provider often turn to emergency departments for non-emergency needs. Cooper Green’s enrollment specialists help identify eligible patients and ensure they have a smooth transition to getting the ongoing care they need.
In April 2025, Cooper Green placed enrollment specialists at UAB Hospital’s main Emergency Department to work alongside the staff at the check-in desk. Since then, more than 150 patients have been enrolled at Cooper Green through this program, and 53 percent of them were admitted patients. The success of this initiative led to the expansion into UAB St. Vincent’s campuses.
Learn more about Cooper Green Mercy Health Services.