(Camden, New Jersey) Cooper University Hospital is calling all clowns! The all too familiar Bumper “T” Caring Clowns are on a mission looking for enthusiastic and fun-loving individuals to jump on board and join the crew. For over 30 years, George Edwards aka, Bumper “T” Clown of Barrington, New Jersey, has devoted his life to making people laugh. He had become such an inspiration to his patients and fellow students (who also volunteer in the hospital) that in 1998 they began calling themselves The Bumper “T” Caring Clowns to honor the man who taught them all. Since then, the program’s success hadonly continued to grow. In April 2002, the original staff of five (including George Edwards) developed a training program in which individuals could join the team and volunteer their services to the hospital.

(Camden, New Jersey) On Thursday, July 31, 2008, Cooper University Hospital and the Institute for Medication Access and Compliance (IMAAC) launched a new cost-effective approach to improving the health status of low-income, uninsured patients in New Jersey. The pilot program will focus on individuals with chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic heart failure. The goal of the program is to improve patient health, while reducing the cost of uncompensated care in New Jersey. “This is a great example of a public-private initiative that will support two key state priorities; to provide better access to health care for the uninsured and identify ways for the State and hospitals to save money and reduce spending,” said Heather Howard, New Jersey Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services.

(Camden, New Jersey) Cooper University Hospital has received a Most Wired Award from the Hospitals & Health Networks’ Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study. Cooper was recognized in the Most Wireless and Most Improved categories. We are the only hospital in the region to be recognized in both categories. “Our Information Technology management and the entire team have been working tirelessly over the past few years to implement new systems that have improved the safety and services offered to our patients and their family members,” said John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO at Cooper.

(Camden, New Jersey) Cooper University Hospital has been awarded a five-year grant totaling $1,307,706 from the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation (SH&WF) to provide health screening and counseling for cardiovascular disease (CV), peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and osteoporosis for residents of Salem County. The grant is the second largest ever awarded by the Foundation. Since 2005, the Cooper Heart Institute has partnered with the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation for the Salem County Cardiovascular Health Initiative (SCCHI). During the past three years, Sherri Jenkins, R.N., Community Health Educator, and her team screened more than 7,700 Salem County residents for cardiovascular problems. Salem County has the highest rate of heart disease and the highest mortality rate associated with heart disease in New Jersey. To combat these staggering statistics, Cooper instituted a program of screenings at over 250 various events and locations throughout the county. Health educational follow-up was provided and more than 33% of these patients sought medical help from area physicians based on the screening results.

After a nation-wide search, Cooper University Hospital is pleased to announce that Jeffrey P. Carpenter, M.D., has been appointed the new Chief of the Department of Surgery for the health system. Dr. Carpenter is a board certified vascular surgeon with clinical specialties in endovascular surgical techniques. He joins Cooper after 23 years at the University of Pennsylvania Health System where he has been a Professor of Surgery and a Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine since 2003.

Cooper University Hospital conducted a nation-wide search and has appointed Robin L. Perry, M.D., as Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Perry is board certified in Maternal & Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology. She is currently President of the Cooper Medical Staff. “Dr. Perry’s proven leadership ability will allow the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cooper to continue to grow under her guidance,” said John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO at Cooper. We have been expanding our practices in the suburban communities and will continue to focus on increasing the obstetrics program in South Jersey.”

(Camden, New Jersey) Cooper University Hospital announces the appointment of Harry Mazurek, Ph.D., as Administrative Director of the Cooper Research Institute. Dr. Mazurek will lead the Institute as it leverages shared resources throughout the Cooper Health System to grow sponsored research. Cooper will be increasing the number of academic studies positioning Cooper University Physicians to be the academic faculty for the proposed four year medical school in Camden. “Research is essential in order to make progress in medicine. The number of research grants at Cooper is growing, and Dr. Mazurek will help us achieve national prominence, continuing our mission to make a real difference in patients’ lives,” said Carolyn Bekes, M.D., Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

(Camden, New Jersey) Today, Cooper University Hospital and Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society celebrated their partnership to rebuild the Cooper Plaza neighborhood. Six houses in the 600 block of Benson Street, immediately across the street from the Cooper University Hospital emergency room, have been rehabilitated and will be sold to families. In October 2006, Cooper sold 600, 602, 604, 608, 612, and 614 Benson Street to Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society for $206,000 less than the appraised value. All units were vacant and in various states of disrepair. Since that time, St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society, has transformed these historic Victorian-era homes and given a new, vibrant face to this rapidly-revitalizing neighborhood.

Cooper University Hospital is proud to announce that it has been selected to receive a 2008 Smart Growth Award from New Jersey Future. This award recognizes the positive impact that Cooper’s expansion and vision plan has made on Camden’s revitalization effort. Five years ago, the City of Camden was in a spiral of deterioration that few thought could be reversed. To jump-start the city’s revitalization, six of Camden’s institutions of higher education and health care anchors developed a plan for expansion and investment. Today, that plan has surpassed all expectations and Cooper has taken the lead in developing a strategic plan that not only includes its own new $222 million patient care pavilion but also the development of a comprehensive $500 million Health Sciences Campus.

(Camden, New Jersey) The Department of Radiation Oncology at Cooper University Hospital is pleased to announce the addition of Tamara A. LaCouture, M.D., to its Radiation Oncology team. Dr. LaCouture will see patients in both Camden and Voorhees. Dr. LaCouture is Board Certified in Radiation Oncology. She received her medical degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden, NJ, and her residency training at Cooper. She resides in Mount Laurel, NJ.