(CAMDEN, NJ) – Cooper University Health Care’s Innovation Center is hosting its second New Jersey Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Hackathon. This event will provide participants with population health data and IT tools to improve the lives of those in underserved communities.
“Our goal is to bring together participants who care deeply about helping people that are impacted by SDOH issues such as homelessness, food insecurity, access to health care, and substance abuse,” said Neal Lemon, PhD, associate vice president technology, commercialization and innovation for Cooper University Health Care and Rowan University. “Our primary goal is to work with the community to improve health outcomes, but to also approach it from a technology and business creation angle, given the goal of our office.”
“A student-led team from Essex County College is competing again this year in the hackathon, which is only made possible by the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative, a partnership of the NJ Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development and the NJ Business and Industry Association, and it’s Center of Workforce Innovation for Patient Care,” said Elvy M. Vieira, EDD, dean of community, continuing education, workforce development at West Essex campus, and academic affairs at Essex County College. “The hackathon provides our students an important connection with professionals, while engaging them hands-on to use technology and data analysis skills to develop solutions for health challenges in their local communities. Truly a win-win to bridge academia with industry.”
Along with institutions like HIMSS, NJII, Rowan University and others, Cooper is looking to build the strength of this event with additional corporate sponsors and partners. “We’re really hoping to see a balance of participants in programs such as this all over the state,” Lemon added.
The future of healthcare lies in understanding that environmental and social factors account for over 80% of health outcomes —where we live, work, and play greatly influence our health. “The hackathon aims to create hyper-local innovation engines and foster entrepreneurial mindsets to improve health outcomes in our communities. To connect these innovators with healthcare executives and investors, finalists will attend the HIMSS25 Global Conference and Exhibition and EMERGE Innovation Experience in Las Vegas this March,” said Dana Castro, senior director of the HIMSS Institute.
Registration for the 2025 SDOH Hackathon is now open. The hackathon is being held virtually with the final presentation event scheduled for Friday, February 28 at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden.
Additional information and registration can be found on the website: NJ SDOH Hackathon 2025 | Cooper Medical Education.