Cooper University Health Care has introduced a new program to help military veterans improve their access to health care using tablet devices.
The program, funded by a $62,000 grant from Federal Communications Commission, will provide tablets to veterans who have difficulty getting to care at Cooper or Deborah Heart and Lung Center. Many veterans live in rural communities or have transportation challenges so the tablets, pre-loaded with virtual links (MyChart and TelaDoc), to support their health care needs and allow them to communicate and have virtual visits with their providers.
“We know that individuals with chronic conditions are at risk of developing complications and possible hospitalization when they are not able to access health care. We also know that many of the veterans we serve have transportation issues, creating barriers to care,” said Max Kursh, director of Population Health at Cooper, who is overseeing the program. “By providing tablet devices for these vulnerable individuals, we will help improve communications and maintain vital connections with their health care providers to allow them to manage their care successfully at home.”
The grant will cover the costs of 50 tablets for three years and includes internet service.
“Our veterans have given of themselves to serve our country, so we want to be able to thank them for their service by developing innovative programs to meet their needs,” Kursh said.
Cooper provides a range of services to active military and veterans through HeroCare Connect, a joint venture between Cooper and Deborah Heart and Lung Center. HeroCare Connect is a personal, one-stop resource that links military families, active duty and retired military, and veterans with specialty care services close to home on a timely basis.
Cooper’s Population Health Department also provides a variety of other community health initiatives, including health education programs, clinical screenings, presentations, community health workers, and consultations to engage, empower, and educate other vulnerable populations within the community.
Members of the community can also access a dedicated website, CooperUnite.org, to help identify free and low-cost services, such as food, transportation, utility assistance and more, in the community where they live.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care, with its MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and affiliation with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, is a leading academic health system. Cooper has more than 9,600 team members including 1,600 nurses, and more than 900 employed physicians and 450 advanced practice providers. Cooper University Hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best Hospitals annual survey and has an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.
Cooper has revenues of more than $2 billion and has an “A-” rating from S&P Global Ratings and “A3” rating from Moody’s Investors Service. Cooper University Hospital is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. Nearly two million patients are served annually at Cooper’s 663-bed flagship hospital, outpatient surgery center, three urgent care centers, and more than 100 ambulatory offices throughout the community. Cooper has been named as one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes for three consecutive years.
The Cooper Health Sciences campus in Camden, New Jersey, 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. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.