Cooper University Health Care to Offer Furloughed Federal Workers Primary Care Appointments Within 24 Hours of Request for Duration of Government Shutdown

Health system encourages federal workers to take care of their health during shutdown.

Cooper University Health Care announced today it is offering furloughed federal government employees, and their immediate family members, access to the health system’s primary care providers within 24-hours of their call for an appointment during the federal government shutdown, now the longest in American history. Cooper has set up a dedicated phone number, 856.536.1300, for furloughed federal employees to call to make an appointment with a Cooper provider, or they can visit the health system’s website at www.cooperhealth.org.

“We understand how stressful this time can be for furloughed federal employees and we wanted to do something to assist them and make it easier for them take care of their health during the shutdown,” said Anthony Mazzarelli, co-president of Cooper University Health Care. “Cooper has a growing network of primary care providers who will be available for federal employees and their families to get their annual physical or treat any other health care need.”

Kevin O’Dowd, co-president of Cooper University Health Care, a former federal employee who spent more than seven years with the Department of Justice, noted that, “By offering furloughed federal employees access to health care appointments within 24-hours, our hope is to help them make good use of this time to take care of their important health needs such as a physical or flu shot that has been difficult to fit into their schedule. We want to help them to focus on their health.”

This is not the first time Cooper University Health Care has given priority consideration for appointments to those facing special circumstances. In 2014, Cooper received the Seven Seals Award from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Employer Support for National Guard and Reserve in recognition of its same-day appointment program for veterans in South Jersey’s seven counties at a time when there were significant appointment delays in the veteran’s health program.

Federal employees and their families will have access an appointment within 24 hours of a request and the special phone number, 856.536.1300, until the federal government shutdown ends.

About Cooper University Health Care

Cooper University Health Care is the leading academic tertiary health care system and the only state-designated Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey with a mission to serve, to heal, to educate. With more than 630 physicians, more than 7,500 employees, and a network of more than 100 medical offices and four urgent care centers throughout the region, Cooper offers signature programs in cardiology, critical care, neurosciences, pediatrics, orthopaedics, and surgical specialties. The Cooper Health Sciences Campus is home to Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. For more information about Cooper University Health Care, visit CooperHealth.org.

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Wendy A. Marano
Public Relations Manager
marano-wendy@cooperhealth.edu
856.382.6463

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