Cooper University Health Care’s credit rating for bonds issued by Camden County Improvement Authority was upgraded by S&P Global Ratings (S&P) to an “A“ with a positive outlook. This is the second-straight year S&P has increased Cooper’s credit rating. This follows an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings earlier in the month.

“S&P’s upgrade for a second year in a row is yet another validation of our thoughtful growth strategies and speaks to a remarkable turnaround for Cooper that was near bankruptcy at the turn of the century and is now a leading academic health system,” said George E. Read more.

Ten-year-old Lily Cuticchia of Haddon Township, NJ, is back at it again, opening her heart and hands to help others in need. The fifth-grade student at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Haddon Township recently visited Cooper University Hospital to donate more than 600 backpacks filled with blankets and personal care items to help patients at Cooper’s Center for Healing who are facing homelessness. Read more.

As you may have heard on the news, there has been a major cyberattack affecting national health care companies. On February 21, 2024, Change Healthcare, an Optum company that processes pharmacy claims nationwide, was hit by a cyberattack that has affected the ability for patients across the nation to fill prescriptions. Optum is owned by United Healthcare, the nation’s largest health insurance company, and is one of the largest clearinghouses for medical claims for both health care providers and health insurers. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care earned an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings (Fitch), an award-winning credit rating agency. This follows two credit upgrades from S&P Global and Moody’s since 2022. This new credit rating represents a double, or two-level, upgrade over Cooper’s 2022 rating.

“This A+ rating marks a remarkable turnaround for Cooper University Health Care from near bankruptcy at the turn of the century to today’s strong financial position,” said George E. Read more.

In recognition of National Heart Month, the Cooper Innovation Center, in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Agency, Johnson & Johnson and the Foundation for Health Advancement/FVCG/NJHF, will host a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Innovation Symposium from 1 to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 27, 2024, featuring a panel of leading physician innovators who will share their inventive technologies to improve cardiovascular and thoracic care. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care has been recognized as a Surgical Quality Partner by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), highlighting the institution’s unwavering commitment to delivering the highest standards of surgical care.

“Our designation as an ACS Surgical Quality Partner underscores our dedication to adhering to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality,” said Francis R. Spitz, MD, FACS, Head, Division of General Surgery, Cooper University Health Care. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care trauma surgeon John Chovanes, DO, FACS, USA, was the recipient of the prestigious John P. Pryor, MD Distinguished Service Award in Military Casualty Care, presented at the 37th Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) Annual Scientific Assembly last week in Orlando, Florida. The award recognizes EAST members who have distinguished themselves in the field of military casualty care. Read more.

Recently, former NFL star and TV personality Michael Strahan and his 19-year-old daughter revealed that she was diagnosed with and being treated for medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer.

Medulloblastoma is an aggressive cancer that usually occurs in the 4^th ventricle of the brain – the space where spinal fluid is produced and the route it travels between the brain and spinal column. Read more.

MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper patient, Barbara Raphael, recently received the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) Patient Advocacy Award after being nominated by her physician, Dr. Generosa Grana.

The NJCCR Patient Advocacy Award recognizes members in the community who work to support cancer patients, whether pushing for early detection, better treatment options, or support for cancer research. Previous award recipients include cancer survivors who have used their strength to continue the fight to defeat cancer long after treatment is done. Read more.

Cooper University Health Care’s Community and Population Health team received a $25,000 grant from the Zallie Community Foundation to address a number of food insecurity initiatives.

The Cooper Community and Population Health team, which oversees Cooper’s community outreach efforts, will use the funds of this grant to launch a series of educational programs to raise awareness about nutrition, meal planning, and food resource management for patients and community members. Read more.