Cooper University Hospital is proud to appoint Carolyn E. Bekes, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer.
“Dr. Bekes has had a very successful career at Cooper and has served in many and varied capacities. Through effective leadership and hard work, I am confident that she will continue to excel within this new position.” said John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Bekes, who is also board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine, will be responsible for assuring communication and collaboration between Cooper’s medical staff, management, and the institution. She will also oversee quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, in addition to Cooper’s educational programs.
A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Bekes came to Cooper in 1977 as the Director of the Intensive Care Unit, a position she retained until 1993 when she was asked to develop Cooper’s Clinical Outcomes program. She served as Vice President for Medical Affairs at Cooper from 1993 to 1999, at which time she was appointed Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer. Since 2003, she has served as the Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs.
Dr. Bekes has demonstrated leadership in Critical Care Medicine at a national level. She served as a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Test and Policy Committee for Critical Care (the group which writes the critical care board examination). She has risen through the leadership of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (the national critical care professional organization), finally serving as President of the organization from February 2000- February 2001. She has also served as President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Chair of the American College of Critical Care Medicine Board of Regents and Chair of the Critical Care Education and Research Foundation.
A resident of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Dr. Bekes was a foster parent for two Vietnamese children and serves as a volunteer at the Animal Welfare Association.