By: Savannah Scarborough, Follow South Jersey Intern
CAMDEN, N.J. – Cooper University Health Care and Cape Regional Health System announced their plan to team up with one another to expand access to specialty health services to residents and visitors of Cape May County. The counties have signed a Letter of Intent with one another on December 14, leading to a transformative partnership.
With the two healthcare systems combined, they accumulate two hospitals with more than 900 licensed beds, revenue exceeding $2.2 billion annually, more than 10,000 team members, more than 900 employed physicians in three physician groups, more than 450 APP, 130, or more, ambulatory locations across eight counties, and six urgent care centers.
Garry Gilbert, Chairman of the Cape Regional Health System Board of Trustees, commented that it had become increasingly harder for smaller health systems to operate independently in the area. Therefore, merging with Cooper University Health Care makes the most sense to serve residents and visitors with the highest quality of care they need and deserve.
“For more than 135 years, Cooper has continued to expand its reach to provide advanced health care to the people of South Jersey,” said George E. Norcross, III, Chairman of Cooper University Health Care’s Board of Trustees. “This merger of two trusted health care organizations will benefit tens of thousands of residents and visitors to Cape May County and strengthen the overall health care system in South Jersey.”
Cooper University Health Care is the leading academic health system with more than 8,900 employees, including 1600 nurses, 850 employed physicians, and 450 advanced practice providers. Additionally, they are the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey. They serve two million patients annually and have been named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes for two consecutive years. Cooper University Health Care includes Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
Cape Regional Health System is an integrated healthcare delivery system that serves residents and visitors throughout Cape May County. Furthermore, Cape Regional Health System has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission. Their system includes Cape Regional Medical Center, three urgent cares, Cape Regional Physicians Associates with over 60 primary care providers and specialists delivering services in multiple locations, their cancer center, surgery center, the Jane Osborne Center, and numerous other freestanding outpatient facilities providing wound care, radiology, lab, and physical therapy services.
The Letter of Intent is just the beginning of the lengthy process that Cooper University Health Care and Cape Regional Health System are about to undergo. Firstly, the two healthcare systems have to work towards signing a Definitive Agreement in March 2023. From there, they must seek regulatory approval for the merger, which could take until the first quarter of 2024.
To read more about Cooper University Health Care, visit https://cooperhealth.org/.
To read more about Cape Regional Health System, visit https://www.caperegional.com/.
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