Cooper Transfer System Marks First Year

Since September 2002 the Cooper Transfer System, COTS, has transferred by land or air nearly 500 critically ill patients to the Intensive Care, Coronary Care and Stroke Units of Cooper University Hospital. “We believe that access to the latest in diagnostic and therapeutic options, as well as 24/7 physician coverage at the bedside, made a significant positive impact on the outcome for many of these patients,” says R. Philip Dellinger, M.D., director of Critical Care Medicine at Cooper University Hospital and the Cooper Transfer System. “COTS facilitates safe, timely transfer and management of adult critically-ill patients, including coordination of all transfer needs, regular physician communication, bed availability and administrative processes,” he added.

Utilization of an urgent transfer system to provide emergent cardiac care was recently supported in a clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine (August 21, 2003). “In the study the rate of death, clinical re-infarction, and stroke were all reduced in patients who received emergent angioplasty, when compared to thrombolytic therapy,” says Joseph Parrillo, M.D., head of the Division of Cardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Medicine. “These benefits were even seen in patients who presented first at outlying facilities, if the transfer was made expeditiously. The 24/7 interventional and surgical capabilities of the Cooper Heart Institute combined with COTS, allows us to provide urgent state-of-the-art, timely care for the critically ill cardiac patient,” adds Dr. Parrillo.

Patients appropriate for COTS:

• 24-hour bedside physician presence
• Access to tertiary care
• Diagnostic and therapeutic technology

For land or air transfers 24/7 of adult critically-ill patients to Cooper University Hospital’s Coronary Care Unit, Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit, or Stroke Unit please call:  1-866-723-COTS (1-866-723-2687)