We hope you are having a safe and productive week. We appreciate everything you are doing to support our patients, families, and each other.
What You Should Know This Week:
- The Philadelphia Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation honored four Cooper physicians at their virtual Evening of Hope with the Stars. Danica N. Giugliano, MD; Thomas A. Judge, MD; Steven R. Peikin, MD; and Yize Richard Wang, MD, were co-recipients of the Gold Medallion Award for their dedication and service. Click here to read more.
- This week is Support Services Week at Cooper. We are grateful for our incredible maintenance, security, food services, linen, parking, design and construction, and environmental services teams. These team members do an exceptional job every day keeping Cooper safe, sanitary, and equipped so that we can provide the best care possible to our patients, their loved ones, and each other. Thank you for all you do.
- This Week Is Week on the Wards: October 11 – 22. As part of their medical education at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), first-year medical students gain early exposure to clinical hospital medicine and hospital operations as a part of their Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt course and clinical week on the wards, or “WOWs.” The students will be moving throughout the hospital in both clinical and non-clinical areas during the weeks of October 11 and October 18 observing clinical hospital medicine in different departments, and applying the new tools and methodologies learned in their designated fields. Please welcome students as you see them in your area or throughout the hospital.
- Vaccines and Boosters Available at Camden County College in Blackwood: Tomorrow, October 14, 2021, Camden County will reopen the Camden College Blackwood Campus vaccination site with expanded services. Cooper will, again, be supporting the County’s effort. The site, located in the parking lot at the front entrance of the college’s Blackwood campus, will be open on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:00 am. to 1:00 p.m. for individuals who wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or a COVID-19 booster shot. Anyone can schedule an appointment by visiting myCooper. COVID-19 testing is slated to be available at the site in early November.
- Pfizer COVID-19 Booster Shots. Pfizer COVID-19 clinics are available for all team members in the Kelemen Circle tent, ambulatory offices, and retail locations. Click here for updated locations and times. To schedule your Pfizer booster shot, visit myCooper. Remember to bring your vaccine card so we can add your booster shot information to it. Click here to read the CDC recommendation for booster shots. Please note that flu shots are not available in the Kelemen Circle Tent – view the flu vaccination schedule here to ensure you are compliant.
- On Friday, October 22, 2021, Cooper University Health Care will GO PINK for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All team members are encouraged to wear pink that day to remind friends and family about the importance of routine mammograms. Share photos of your PINK gear on Pulse+ or at SocialMedia@CooperHealth.edu to be featured on Cooper’s social media channels.
- Cooper’s 2021 Flu Vaccination Program is up and running. Please review the information here to ensure you are compliant. Click here for the schedule. Flu shots are not being offered in the Kelemen tent or pop-up clinics for booster shots, which are exclusively for COVID-19 vaccines.
- Update: State-Mandated Testing Continues. The State of New Jersey requires all unvaccinated Cooper team members to have a negative COVID-19 test within seven days of working a shift. The antigen tests are available Monday through Friday at the Hospital Garage and any Cooper Primary Care location with LabCorp services. The test kits are also available seven days a week in the Health Care Access office in the Roberts Pavilion. Team members can also receive a PCR test (nasopharyngeal) on Saturday or Sunday in the Hospital Garage, if you choose. Click here for the full schedule.
- Update: Federal Vaccine Mandate. The federal government still has not provided any additional guidance on President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, its timing, or the exemptions that will be permitted. We will convey new information on this federal government mandate when we receive it. Remember, you can sign up on myCooper to get a COVID-19 vaccine at any time.
- Help Choose the Military Person of the Year. A few years ago, Cooper established the Military Person of the Year Award to honor a deserving employee who has made significant contributions to Cooper and in the community. Nominations are still open for this year’s award. Any employee who has had at least one year of employment at Cooper and who is a veteran or an active member of the military in any branch is eligible for nomination. Nominations can be made online by clicking here. The nomination deadline is THIS Friday, October 15, 2021. More information about the employee military celebration will be coming soon.
- Voting for Philadelphia Magazine’s 2022 Top Doctors is now open. The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2021. Cooper physicians, please take this opportunity to submit a nomination for one of your colleagues. Learn more here.
- Let’s Give Them Pumpkin’ to Talk About. Cooper’s annual pumpkin decorating contest has begun. Last year’s voting on Pulse+ was such a success that we are once again holding the contest virtually. The theme this year is entertainment – take inspiration from your favorite movies and shows and get creative. Click here for more information.
- Click here to read today’s Daily Dose, “Languishing.” As always, you can view the Daily Dose archives here.
- We love to hear patient feedback about their excellent health care experience at Cooper. Kudos to all who are making The Cooper Experience a reality and who received individual recognition from our patients in recent surveys, including Leanne, Cathy, Eric, Frank, and Erica. Click here to read more.
- Topic of the Week – Badge Out: For many reasons, it is a busy and complicated time if you work in a health care environment. Our security team members do a fantastic job acting as our eyes and ears across the Cooper network. It is the responsibility of our security officers to ensure our safety. If you are asked to show your Cooper ID, we ask that you please comply with kindness and understanding. This is a Cooper-wide commitment and is expected among all team members. We appreciate your cooperation.
Movie Quote: “Smile, it increases your face value.”
We appreciate your ongoing hard work and commitment during these challenging times.