Cooper CareNow
Jonathan Shulman, MSN, FNP-BC Cooper Care Alliance Associate Medical Director
Ready to treat you 7 days a week, even far from home
What happens when you’re on vacation, at the Jersey Shore, for example, and you wake up to what you think may be pink eye…or a nasty cough… or the second day of a fever? You don’t want to wait until you get home to find out what’s wrong. But you don’t necessarily want to see a doctor who doesn’t know you.
The team at Cooper CareNow is ready to treat you 7 days a week, even if you’re miles away from their nearest office. Same-day virtual appointments are available from 8 am to 8 pm to treat conditions that don’t require an emergency department visit. Even if you are not a current patient of a Cooper practice, you can use CareNow when you have an immediate concern, and the CareNow physician will send notes to your current primary care provider to keep them informed.
“Someone is always there for you. When you call, you get an actual person on the phone. All patients are evaluated right away, and a telemedicine visit could start immediately,” says Jonathan Shulman, MSN, FNP-BC, Cooper Care Alliance Associate Medical Director who oversees the CareNow program. “Cooper CareNow provides easy access to care – not just access, easy access.”
“It’s safer for our patients to continue their care with us, even during inconvenient times.”
“We established CareNow because we feel our providers give their patients the best care,” adds Shulman. “It’s safer for our patients to continue their care with us, even during inconvenient times. This decreases unnecessary emergency room visits and, bottom line, keeps our patients with their known and trusted physicians.”
Conditions treated include cough/congestion, rashes and skin infections, earaches, sinus infections, sore throats, UTIs and more. If you experience trouble breathing, chest pains, stroke symptoms or severe abdominal pain, for example, go straight to an emergency room, and the providers there can call your CareNow doctors.
Cooper CareNow physicians may also send you to the ER if needed. If you’re having stomach pains, you may need a hands-on exam to palpate your abdomen. Or if they suspect a broken bone, you may need X-rays. But in many cases, the doctor is able to diagnose and treat the patient during the telemedicine visit.
In most cases, the program is limited to seeing patients within New Jersey because of telemedicine guidelines.
Shulman says that patients tell him they are pleased their problems can be addressed immediately – even from their workplace, if necessary. “It’s huge from the patient’s point of view. It’s simple, and people are using CareNow more and more as they get used to the process, which is so easy.”
“We have had excellent feedback, and patients love that they can access their personal physician from their home or while on vacation,” says Shulman. “Patients are resourceful and getting more educated all the time. Scheduling appointments and uploading photos through MyChart is just one way they maximize what we offer.”
For patients who may be looking to establish a relationship with a primary care physician, CareNow works beautifully. “It’s good for patients to begin care with us and gain entry into a great healthcare system – the whole Cooper Health Care system,” Shulman says.
And even if a patient doesn’t own a computer or smartphone, Cooper CareNow providers can talk with a caregiver, relative or friend, with the patient’s permission. The patient’s regular co-pay is charged for a CareNow visit.
Cooper has long been known for its coordinated, total healthcare services for the entire family. The ability to always reach a provider through CareNow – when you need one, without waiting days or weeks for an appointment – now sets them apart in the South Jersey healthcare market.
“At Cooper CareNow,” adds Shulman, “we understand how important it is for you to get care, so we’re going to make sure you get that care right away.”
Call 856-536-1515 to schedule a same-day appointment with a CareNow primary care provider.
