Primary Care Leader Meets Patients Where They Are, Delivers Interventions That Matter

UH Clinical Update | December 2022

Helping patients make good health choices is the goal of every physician, but it’s rarely easy or straightforward. Danielle Cooper, MD, came to understand this at a young age. As a high school student shadowing her mother working as a nurse in a cardiac care unit, she witnessed a prominent cardiologist die of a heart attack right in front of her – an outcome hastened by his smoking and obesity. Confused, she asked her mother why this beloved and accomplished man did all the things he was advising other people not to do. The discussion sparked a desire to innovate – and to find better ways to intervene.

Danielle Cooper, MD

“That was my turning point where I wanted to intervene, to meet people where they are, but also to try and lead by example,” Dr. Cooper says. “That is what led me into healthcare.”

Today, Dr. Cooper is continuing her efforts to meet patients where they are and working to deliver them the best possible outcomes. She’s a full-time family medicine physician with Lake County Family Practice group, but also concurrently serves as Medical Director for Lake Health Physician Group and Lake Health Urgent Care Centers.

Her dual leadership responsibilities have put patients in good stead, says Robyn Strosaker, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of UH Lake Health Medical Centers. 

“Dr. Cooper has brought significant synergy across the two initiatives to better serve patients aligning their acute episodic healthcare needs with those of their primary care and specialist interactions,” she says. “Providers across these entities gained a much better understanding and appreciation for their roles in caring for their patients as well as better connecting those without primary care providers to those within Lake Health Physician Group. These important efforts directly align with fostering an environment where all caregivers work together as a team to improve patient care.”

Dr. Cooper was recently recognized for these efforts with a “Dinner with the Doc” honor from Cliff Megerian, MD, FACS, UH CEO and Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.

Another key responsibility for Dr. Cooper is providing medical oversight of UH Lake Health clinics located on-site within the Mentor and Willoughby-Eastlake schools and Lakeland Community College. Some of these clinics provide healthcare to just faculty and staff, while others also treat students.

“It’s been an interesting endeavor,” Dr. Cooper says. “Working with businesses is a little different than just working in healthcare. They have some different reasons and goals for these clinics than a typical outpatient office. Ultimately, it allows us to deliver care where it's needed. It's about trying to get quality care to people where they want it, whether that be our offices, the urgent cares, the school clinics or the virtual care that we provide.”

Dr. Cooper was also recognized for her work developing an annual patient questionnaire that identifies risk potential for developing genetic cancers.

“We really looked at this process and how to implement it into our offices – not just in OB/GYN but across the board in family medicine and internal medicine,” she says. “We've been able to broaden that spectrum, identify people who are at highest risk for genetic cancers, get them tested and then actually intervene to either catch it very early or to prevent the cancer altogether. It’s been a great adventure, and we've seen quite a few really good stories come out of that where we've made a difference in people's lives and their families’ lives.”

Outcomes like this are why Dr. Cooper chose medicine as a career back in high school. And, she says, they keep her motivated today.

“My passion is delivering the highest quality medical care to our patients,” she says.

To nominate a physician for this honor, please visit the Digital Workplace.