Cooper News Plus

Rowan University alumnus and podiatric surgeon Dr. Marque Allen, of Texas, has donated a $100,000 gift to Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. It is the first gift to the new medical school and will create a scholarship fund for first-year Rowan alumni attending Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. The inaugural medical-school class is expected to begin in 2012.

Named the Dr. Richard Meagher Medical Scholarship at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, the gift honors the 38-year career of Dr. Meagher,a biological sciences professor who retired from Rowan University in 2007. Dr. Allen credits Dr. Meagher with inspiring him to pursue a career in medicine.

Dr. Allen is a former resident of Lindenwold and Glassboro. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Rowan University, magna cum laude, in 1991. He went on to earn his degree in podiatric medicine from Temple University, and completed his internship at the University of Pennsylvania and his residency in foot and ankle surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Health System. His formal training was completed as a fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Today, in addition to his own practice in Texas, Dr. Allen serves as the foot and ankle consultant/team physician for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, the WNMA’s San Antonio Silver Stars, the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, the University of Texas-San Antonio, Trinity University, and multiple high schools throughout south Texas.

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As the founder and medical director of International Healthcare Volunteers (IHCV), Gynecologic Oncology’s James K. Aikins, Jr., M.D., Research Director, last summer led more than 32 medical volunteers-nearly half of them from Cooper-to Ghana, West Africa. They provided free healthcare to families and free medical education to healthcare professionals.

A native of Ghana, Dr. Aikins founded the non-profit medical group in 2002. He realized on a visit home that many people were dying, from what would be considered simple medical problems in the United States, due to lack of access to medical personnel and resources.

Since its inception, the IHCV has traveled to Ghana each year, raising funds annually through gala events to support the cause.

This year, from August 1 through August 15, the group treated over 1,000 patients and performed more than 51 major operations. They worked in conjunction with doctors and nurses from Central Regional Hospital at Cape Coast and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital at Kumasi.

“We’ve seen a tremendous shift in healthcare since we began our mission back in 2002,” said Dr. Aikins. “Patients are going home two or three days after surgery instead of having a week to ten days of recovery, and, with out cervical screenings, we’ve been able to detect and treat some of the problems before it reaches the stage of cancer.”

During their stay, the volunteers also visited the faculty, residents and medical students at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital and the University of Ghana School of Medicine. They conducted lectures and seminars, and exchanged ideas about evidence-based medicine, new medical technology and cutting-edge healthcare for women and men.

“Through lectures/didactics we have been teaching the nurses at the two institutions how to perform cervical cancer screening. Such programs are lacking, so the majority of the women patients have very advanced stages of the disease, which we hope to change. We also brought medical students, so they could help treat the patients and experience first-hand what global healthcare entails,” Dr. Aikins said.

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From family medicine to obstetrics and gynecology, and from orthopaedics to medical specialties, Cooper University Hospital’s University Physicians have begun to see patients at new and improved locations in the suburban tri-county area.

This expansion represents Cooper’s commitment to quality, patient-and family-centered care by offering academic medical services at convenient, state-of-the-art facilities in Voorhees, Washington Township and Willingboro.

Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery Lawrence S. Miller, M.D., said, “We are excited to be one of several specialties that have moved into this beautiful complex. This new office complex will allow increased communication among all physicians and staff, improving the way we deliver care to our patients.”

While Cooper Bone & Joint Institute and its Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Services, along with several medical practices, have already moved to their noew and larger quarters in Voorhees, others are set for relocation in April.

New to Voorhees are Cooper Obstetrics/Gynecology Practices, at 6117 Main Street. They provide women with clinical services, joining with the health education and resources of The Ripa Center for Women’s Health & Wellness located at 1011 Main Street. Cooper Rheumatology Practices are also new to Voorhees, having moved into 900 Centennial Boulevard, Building 2 (in the former Village Shoppes Plaza). Cooper’s Surgical Specialty and Hematology/Oncology Practices are scheduled to expand at 900 Centennial Boulevard, Building 1, in 2010.

The Department of Family Medicine has also opened a beautiful 2,400-square-foot outpatient facility in Washington Township, at 123 Egg Harbor Road, Tower Commons, in Sewell.

“The new location in Washington Township now offers our patients better access in a more convenient, comfortable and newly constructed office setting,” said Dyanne P. Westerberg, D.O., Chief of the Department of Family Medicine at Cooper University Hospital.

In Willingboro, expansion will occur this spring. Cooper Specialists and Cooper Primary Care will add a second site, which will be located on JFK Parkway.

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On November 16, Cooper and Camden County held a pediatric H1N1 flu clinic at the Collingswood Scottish Rite Grand Ballroom, where more than 1,200 children and some family members were vaccinated.

Rick Hong, M.D., Emergency Department physician and Head of EMS and Disaster Medicine at Cooper, said he wasn’t surprised by the large amount. “More people are worried this season,” he said.

Dr. Hong described the clinic as a successful partnership between Cooper University Hospital, the Camden County Health Department, the American Red Cross-Camden County Chapter, the Collingswood Fire Department, the Camden County Sherriff’s Office, the borough of Collingswood, and the county and local offices of Emergency Management.

“We successfully vaccinated 1,200 people within the scheduled four-hour session, with direct, on-site oversight by emergency medicine and pediatric physicians; nurses with previous experience in caring for infants and young children; and visible security personnel,” Dr. Hong said.

Cooper University Hospital thanks the many volunteers and staffers whose efforts and participation helped make the clinic such a success.

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John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO at Cooper, has been selected to join  the healthcare transition team for New Jersey Governor-Elect Chris Christie. Mr. Sheridan will have the opportunity to share his vision and expertise in helping bring forth important issues regarding healthcare in the State of New Jersey.

“I am honored to be appointed to this important team,” said Mr. Sheridan. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to help Governor-Elect Christie prioritize the healthcare issues and challenges facing the new administration.”

Mr. Sheridan’s career spans more than 40 years in governmental service in the practice of law and healthcare. Before joining Cooper in July of 2005, he was a senior partner and Co-Chairman of the law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, LLP, which he joined in May 1985. While at Riker, he served for a number of years as General Counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Carrier Clinic. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Carrier Clinic, a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in Belle Mead, N.J., for 25 years.

Mr. Sheridan also served in the Cabinet of Governor Thomas H. Kean as Commissioner of Transportation, and as Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation from 1982 to 1985. Earlier in his career, he served as Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey, Assistant Counsel to Governor William T. Cahill, and Counsel to the New Jersey Senate Minority.

Mr. Sheridan is a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, the New Jersey Hospital Association, and the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Camden Partnership, and an Advisory Board member for the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs.

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Cooper’s “Green Team” has announced the implementation of its first initiative to help the hospital become more environmentally-friendly. Beginning January 2010 (specific date to be announced), the hospital’s Camden campus will launch a system-wide, single-stream recycling program for non-hazardous materials.

 ”Approximately 90 percent of Cooper’s non-hazardous waste is estimated to be recyclable,” explains John Schwarz, Vice President of Facilities and Support Services and Chairman of the Green Team. “The single stream recycling program, which will include the participation of nearly every Cooper employee, is just the first of several new initiatives that will help us become a  better corporate citizen. It will also save the organization money-about $3,800 per month in waste disposal costs if a 50 percent recycling goal is met and $5,900 per month if an 80 percent recycling goal is met.”

Trash receptacles already located at most employee work stations will become recycling cans. They will be lined with a clear bag and tagged with a recycling sticker. Employees will be asked to place all recyclable materials, such as paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass and plastic containers, into these cans. They will be collected as usual, but sent for recycling. There is no need for sorting-this will be done at the recycling center! Receptacles for recyclable materials will also be placed in visitor areas within the hospital.

Receptacles for non-recyclable waste, such as food, light bulbs, plastic bags and pizza boxes, will be strategically placed throughout the hospital in areas where non-recyclable materials are discarded, such as pantries, break rooms, locker rooms, etc. These receptacles will have black bag liners.

Stay tuned for further initiatives in 2010 from the Cooper Green Team! If you have any suggestions, please e-mail the Green Team (greenteam@cooperhealth.edu). The Green Team will be looking to expand the recycling program to other Cooper facilities in 2010.

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