Cooper University Health Care has received the 2019 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ from Healthgrades, placing it among the top 5% of hospitals in the nation for patient safety.

“Our clinical team works tirelessly to ensure that our patients receive the safest and most effective patient-centered medical care, and this Patient Safety Excellence Award speaks to our team’s commitment and success in achieving that end,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-president/CEO for Cooper.  Read more.

On Monday, August 5, Cooper University Health Care opened a new primary care practice at 20 Black Horse Pike in Runnemede.

Staffed by internal medicine physician Juan S. Utreras, MD, and advanced practice nurse Myanh Nguyen, RN, APN, the practice will provide expert primary care services including annual check-ups, preventive health screenings, unscheduled “sick” visits, medication management, and more for residents of Runnemede and the surrounding communities.   Read more.

Cooper University Health Care was recognized as a top performing hospital for treating heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-2020 Best Hospitals survey.

“The recognition of Cooper as a top performing hospital for heart failure and COPD is the direct result of our dedicated team of specialists, advanced practice providers, nurses, and support staff,” said Anthony J. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care recently became the first hospital in South Jersey to offer the LINX® Reflux Management System for people whose chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) cannot be controlled medically.

Unlike standard surgical treatments for GERD, the minimally invasive LINX treatment uses a tiny bracelet of magnetic titanium beads to surround and compress the lower esophageal sphincter. This valve normally prevents stomach fluids from refluxing into the esophagus. Read more.

Harish Kakkilaya, MD, FACS, FASMBS, has joined Cooper University Health Care’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center, a multidisciplinary program to help people with obesity or morbid obesity achieve and maintain their weight-loss goals and improve their health.

“Dr. Kakkilaya is a fellowship-trained bariatric and metabolic surgeon who has performed more than 1,000 weight-loss surgeries with excellent outcomes,” said Rohit A. Read more.

This week, Cooper University Health Care became the first hospital in New Jersey to offer bronchoscopic lung volume reduction as a treatment option for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema.

“This is another first for Cooper, and we’re excited to offer this new treatment for patients. Previously, patients were limited to more invasive surgical options. This new treatment is also a breakthrough for patients who are not candidates for surgery and now have a shot at a better quality of life,” said Wissam Abouzgheib, MD, Head of Interventional Pulmonary at Cooper. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care is the first hospital in South Jersey to offer extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for the treatment of severe pulmonary issues and respiratory failure.

ECMO is a form of cardiopulmonary life-support, where blood is circulated outside the body by a mechanical pump so that compromised organs can rest and heal. Cooper is providing VV ECMO which is specific to patients with damaged and/or injured lungs. Read more.

In a case report published June 17, 2019, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at Cooper University Health Care caution that rising water temperatures in the Delaware Bay may be to blame for an increased number of local cases of Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus), a flesh-eating infection that can occur after handling or consumption of seafood.

In the article, the team of infectious disease specialists at Cooper, including Katherine Doktor, MD, and Henry Fraimow, MD, and clinical pharmacists Madeline King, PharmD, and Lucia Rose, PharmD, describe five cases of V. Read more.