About Academic Health Systems

Academic health systems (also referred to as academic medical centers or major teaching hospitals) have hospitals aligned and integrated with a medical school. The hospitals serve as the main location for training medical students, medical residents and fellows, and other trainees. Academic health systems generally provide a higher level of specialized care that involves more advanced and complex procedures and treatments also known as tertiary care services.

Only about 300 (5%) of the 6,090 hospitals in the United States are academic health systems, according to the American Hospital Association. Cooper University Health Care is an academic health system and its physicians serve as the staff of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

The physicians who are part of an academic health system are generally recognized as specialists in their fields and play a critical role in advancing medicine by training the next generation of medical professionals. Academic health systems, like Cooper University Health Care, invest in research, education, and advanced technologies to offer specialized services and innovative treatments not available at other hospitals. Tertiary care services include such areas as cardiac surgery, cancer treatment and management, plastic and reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, and other complicated treatments or procedures.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, patients who receive their care through an academic health system have up to 20% higher odds of survival compared to patients at other facilities.

Academic health systems are accredited by The Joint Commission International, which sets the global standards for both health care quality and patient safety. 

Cooper Is the Region’s Leading Academic Health System

Cooper University Health Care is the region’s leading academic health system and provides access to primary, specialty, highly advanced tertiary, and urgent care—all within one complete health system. Cooper University Hospital also is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and is the busiest trauma center in the Philadelphia region.

As the leading tertiary care center in South Jersey, physicians and hospitals throughout the region send more than 7,000 of their most complex, critically ill, and injured patients to Cooper every year. Our experts offer state-of-the art, specialized care and perform advance procedures for complex conditions.