The Cooper Health System, Inc.

The closing is complete and Cape Regional Health System is now part of Cooper University Health Care, effective today, July 1, 2024. As part of the closing, Cape Regional Medical Center has been renamed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional. "This agreement will transform health care for the residents and visitors of Cape May and Atlantic counties,” said George E. Norcross III, Chairman of Cooper University Health Care’s Board of Trustees. “We are ready to move forward and for our unified team to begin delivering the highest level of advanced health care to more people in shore communities and beyond. We are excited by the opportunity to build something extraordinary here.” “Today is a significant day and a new chapter for health care in Cape May County and beyond. I want to thank our entire team for all the great work in serving the people of this community so well, for so many years, that brought us to this exciting new beginning where we will be able to serve even more people,” stated Garry Gilbert, former Chairman, Cape Regional Health System Board of Trustees. In December 2022, Cooper and Cape Regional announced the proposal to join together, followed by execution of a Definitive Agreement in April 2023. Final regulatory approval by the New Jersey Superior Court of Cape May County was secured on May 28, 2024. The transaction was officially completed effective today. Cooper, with its market-leading MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, is based in the City of Camden and is southern New Jersey’s leading academic health system and only Level I trauma center, with more than $2.2 billion in revenue. Cape Regional Health System has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission and is an integrated health care delivery system serving residents throughout Cape May County. “We are happy to have brought this vision to reality. We look forward to working with our new colleagues to build upon their tremendous work and provide the highest quality of primary and specialty care to the residents and visitors at the shore,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, co-CEO of Cooper University Health Care. “Today is a day of great promise, as two teams have become one team dedicated to serving communities across South Jersey,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO of Cooper University Health Care. “We look forward to the future and the work we will do with our new team members and with residents and visitors to the shore region.” “The future of health care is very bright for the residents and visitors of Cape May County as a result of this merger,” stated Joanne Carrocino, FACHE, CEO, Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional. “The Cape Regional team is excited to begin working with our new colleagues at Cooper.” “The entire Cooper team is looking forward to collaborating with our new team members in Cape May County to enhance access to the highest levels of care and enrich the health care experience for the people of Cape May and Atlantic counties,” said Christine Winn, PhD, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Regional Officer for Cooper, who will oversee Cooper operations in Cape May and Atlantic counties, including Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional.

(CAMDEN and CAPE MAY, NJ) – Cooper University Health Care and Cape Regional Health System announced that the two systems have signed a Letter of Intent to merge. When complete, this historic partnership will bring together two respected health systems to expand access to specialty health services to residents and visitors of Cape May County. “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.” “As it becomes more and more challenging for smaller health systems to operate independently, merging with Cooper made the most sense as we share the same commitment to the communities we serve and to providing the highest quality care to our patients,” stated Garry Gilbert, Chairman, Cape Regional Health System Board of Trustees. “Cape Regional and Cooper have had a strong working relationship for many years as Cooper has staffed our Intensive Care Unit with fellowship-trained Intensivist physicians as well as provided tele-ICU, tele-stroke, and tele-neurology services that have truly enhanced the quality of care for our community,” said Joanne Carrocino, President & CEO of Cape Regional Health System. Cooper, with its market leading MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, is based in the City of Camden and is southern New Jersey’s only academic health system and Level I trauma center with $2 billion in revenue. Cape Regional Health System has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission and is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the residents throughout Cape May County. “Cooper is incredibly honored to be given an opportunity to partner with the nearly 1,500 Cape Regional team members who have built a distinguished health system of high-quality clinical outcomes and commitment to their community,” said Kevin O’Dowd, co-CEO of Cooper. “We look forward to working with our future colleagues at Cape Regional to build upon this tremendous legacy of service to residents of the Cape May region.” The combined health system will have: “By expanding our current working relationship with the Cape Regional team, we will be able to bring additional advanced cancer and specialty health care services to local residents close to where they live,” said Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli, co-CEO of Cooper. The signing of the Letter of Intent is the first step in a lengthy process. Cooper and Cape Regional will be working toward signing a Definitive Agreement in March 2023. Thereafter, the health systems will seek regulatory approval for the merger, which could take until the first quarter of 2024.