How to Refer, Transfer, or Admit a Patient

Referring a Patient

To make referral for a Cooper specialist, please call 800.8.COOPER (800.826.6737) or complete our online referral form.

Transferring or Admitting a Patient

The Cooper Transfer Center is a service offered to hospitals and physicians who wish to initiate a patient transfer to Cooper University Hospital. The transfer requires physician-to-physician consultation, which the transfer center initiates. By providing one point of contact, the Cooper Transfer Center streamlines the transfer process with a transfer nurse coordinator on duty 24/7.

How the Program Works

When you initiate a transfer request, the Cooper Transfer Center:

• Coordinates the transfer process via a single point of contact.
• Facilitates identification of a receiving specialist if requested by the referring physician and based upon the patient’s condition.
• Coordinates logistics to ensure bed availability.
• Facilitates communication of patient status and provides updates to all involved clinicians.
• Coordinates all transport arrangements.
• Reviews insurance, eligibility, and authorization for transfer, and provides alerts of potential coverage issues (non-urgent cases).
• Assists in ensuring compliance with laws regarding healthcare access.

Information You Will Need to Provide

When you need to transfer a patient, call the Center at 855.CUH.XFER (855.284.9337) as soon as possible, with the following information:

• Patient’s name, date of birth, and social security number
• Diagnosis and reason for transfer.
• Insurance Information / Pre-certification Number
• Hospital name and sending unit phone and fax number.
• Sending physician’s contact information: name and phone number.
• Name of the physician to whom the patient is being referred. Let us know if you need assistance identifying an accepting physician or specialist.
• Be prepared to fax the patient’s face sheet to the Center
• Be prepared to give the Transfer Nurse Coordinator a clinical report on the patient.

Types of Transfers We Coordinate

Cooper coordinates air and land transport for emergent and non-emergent transfers 24/7, including:

• Critically ill, non-trauma adult patients to:
  • Coronary Care Unit
  • Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit
  • CT Surgery Intensive Care Unit
  • Stroke Unit
  • Intermediate Care Unit
  • Sepsis/shock resuscitation
  • Aortic Center (aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection)
• Progressive Care Unit and Telemetry
• Critically ill, non-trauma pediatric patients
• OB/GYN Admissions
• Non-emergent Med-Surg admissions

Express Admit Unit

Monday through Friday, 9 a.m to 9 p.m.

The Express Admit Unit at Cooper University Hospital expedites the admission process for patients coming from their physician’s office who need to be admitted to an inpatient unit at Cooper. The unit, on the 5th floor of the Kelemen Pavilion, is equipped with private waiting rooms with comfortable reclining chairs in a warm, private setting. Patients will be welcomed by experienced nurses and clinical care technicians.

Our goal is to have your patients to their assigned inpatient bed within 90 minutes of arrival to the lounge.

Benefits of the Express Admit Unit

• Allows stable patients to bypass the Emergency Department
• Increased patient safety with additional nursing care while waiting for a bed
• Nursing and clinical assessments including health history, vital signs, IV and blood draws

Exclusions

• ICU or isolation patients (will accept neutropenic precautions)
• Patients requiring level of care higher than a medical-surgical floor
• Patients who cannot ambulate into and out of medical recliner
• Age <18 years

Physician Procedure

• Referring physicians contact the Cooper Transfer Center at 1.855.CUH-XFER (1.855.284.9337)
• Patients will be instructed to arrive at Cooper Admissions Office
• Patients will be assigned to the Express Admit Unit if appropriate

Contact Us

For more information about the Cooper Transfer Center or the Express Admit Unit, contact Karen N. Gruber, RN, BSN, CEN, Director of Operations, Center for Urgent and Emergent Services, at 856.342.2429 or email Gruber-Karen@cooperhealth.edu.