About Your Hospital Stay
We understand that there are many places you’d rather be than in the hospital. While you are here, we will do everything to ensure a positive experience, while delivering the highest quality of health care.
Patient Information Guides
Our Patient Information Guides explain hospital services and procedures. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask any member of our staff for help. Please click below to view the handbook for the hospital where you are staying.
Patient Relations/ Patient Experience Advisors
Patient Relations/Patient Experience Advisors are available at 856.342.2432. to answer questions and assist with patient and visitor needs. Services include:
- Advance directives and medical power of attorney.
- Computers with wireless access.
- Explanation of hospital policies and procedures.
- Health information material.
- Non-medical problems and special situations.
Patient Belongings
Cooper University Health Care is not responsible for items left at your bedside and encourages you to send them home with your family or friends. If this is not possible, ask your nurse to have your valuables placed in the hospital safe. Be especially careful for personal care items such as dentures, eye glasses and hearing aids. These items can be safely and easily stored in your bedside cabinet or with Patient Relations.
No-Smoking Policy
Cooper is a smoke-free campus and prohibits smoking within 25 feet of the campus. All of us at Cooper thank you for respecting our no-smoking policy.
Complimentary Guest WiFi
- Enable WiFi on your device.
- Choose Cooper-guest or CapeGuest, depending on your location.
- Accept Cooper's terms and conditions.
Cell Phones
To reduce the potential risk of medical equipment malfunctions, the use of cellular phones is not permitted within 10 feet of critically monitored patients. Mobile phones may be used in public areas, in offices, and at nursing stations. We request that visitors use discretion when speaking on their phone.
Photography and Video Recording
To protect the privacy of our physicians, staff members, volunteers, other patients, and visitors, photography and videotaping are not allowed without that individual's permission. Visitors, patients, and families are not allowed to take photographs or record videos in public areas of the hospital, such as the cafeteria or lobby, because such photographs are likely to include images of other individuals.
Telephone Service
Your family and friends can reach you by dialing a direct number located on the wall across from your bed. Patients may receive incoming calls between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., except in critical care units. Please check with your nurse for calling instructions in these areas. There is no charge for incoming calls.
Dialing Instructions
- To make an outside call, dial 8, wait for the dial tone, and dial the number. Please note that international calls cannot be made from room phones.
- To make an internal call (e.g., hospital operator, room-service dining, etc.), just dial the extension.
- For local calls, dial 9, wait for the dial tone and dial the number.
- For long-distance calls, collect calls, or to charge a call to a third party (credit card or home number), dial 8 + 0 + area code, then listen for the prompts.
Patients may order from menus that are compliant with any dietary restrictions they may have. Family and friends are welcome to join you at meal times. Please visit our Visitor Amenities page for dining options for your guests. Please check with your caregiver before anyone brings you food or beverages from the cafeteria, vending machines, or home.
- Select the menu items you would like to order.
- Call 856.342.3333 (in-house extension 3333) for patient room-service dining.
- Know your room number and building (i.e., Dorrance, Kelemen, or Roberts Pavilion).
At Your Request Room Service Dining® is available daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. All orders are verified for diet compliance and prepared according to your specifications. Meals will be delivered bedside. Menus are located in patient rooms.
Placing Your order:
You may be placed on a special diet during your hospitalization. A registered dietitian is available to discuss your nutritional needs. Please check with your caregiver before anyone brings you food or beverages from the cafeteria, vending machines, or home.
Television Service
- TV services at the hospital are complimentary.
- Your bedside control includes a pillow speaker and nursing call button.
- All televisions are closed captioned for the hearing impaired, which is available by pushing the “CC” button on your remote control.
- Refer to your patient handbook or ask your nurse for a channel listing and menu of patient education videos.
- Headsets are available free of charge.
Interpreters and Assistance for the Hearing-Impaired
Contact our Linguistics Department at 856.342.2751 if you need the services of a language interpreter or assistance to manage a hearing impairment. We have Spanish, Vietnamese, and ASL interpreters in house, and can bring in interpreters for other languages when needed.
Gratuities
Hospital staff is here to serve you and takes pride in caring for you and your family. We request that you refrain from offering tips or gifts to individual staff members, as they are not permitted to accept gratuities. Please complete your patient satisfaction survey and describe your interaction with any outstanding staff members. Cooper acknowledges all staff members mentioned in patient satisfaction surveys.
Ethical Issues
Patients and their families who are faced with a moral issue relating to patient care have the option of having the issue brought before Cooper’s Bioethics Committee through a consult. Concerns may include, but are not limited to, end-of-life care issues; ethical issues at the beginning of life; role of religion in health care; access to health services; organ transplantation; and patient rights to accept or refuse medical treatment. To request a consult, call our risk management office at 856.342-2112.
Know About Your Health Care Team
We want our patients and their caregivers to know who is providing care at the bedside. As a result, Cooper has a communication board at the foot of each patient bed which lists the health care team. In addition, the board gives our patients and caregivers a chance to tell a little bit about each patient. We hope you enjoy being part of the dialogue.
Cooper has established a color-coded scrub program. We hope this will help patients and family members easily identify the health care professionals who are providing care. Nurses, Medical Providers, Allied Health Professionals, and Unit Secretaries are each assigned specific colors for their scrubs:
Nursing (RNs and LPNs): BLUE
Medical Providers (Physicians, Residents, Fellows, Advanced Practice Nurses, and Physician Assistants): BLACK
Allied Health (All licensed and non-licensed Technicians,Technologists, Medical Assistants, Phlebotomists, Registered Dietitians, Therapists, Aides, and Nurse Associates): TEAL
Unit Secretaries: PURPLE