Dr. Shelley Cooper
Dr. Shelley Cooper was born and raised here in Kansas City, and at a young age, Dr. Cooper knew she wanted to be an educator. Still, in high school, the INROADS program brought out her love of business and allowed her to intern at companies around Kansas City, including Commerce Bank.
Dr. Cooper went to undergrad at the University of Missouri-Columbia and earned a business administration degree. After working in the corporate world, that love of being an educator returned, and she left the corporate world after ten years to enter the classroom.
She spent 25 years teaching in KCMO, KCK, and private schools, and during that time, she received her Masters and Doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education-Telemedicine Implementation.
After receiving her Doctorate, she started her company, Diversity Telehealth, in 2014, then in 2016, she left the classroom to focus on Diversity Telehealth full time.
Diversity Telehealth specializes in helping companies, communities, and agencies take advantage of the continuing improvement in telemedicine technologies to reduce their costs, improve their care, and save lives.
They provide consulting, installation support, and training across various technologies and systems to deliver virtual medical, health, and education services to all communities.
In 2018, Dr. Cooper observed that a clinic she was working with was experiencing a high rate of no-shows for appointments. After a death in the family and what she saw at the clinic, she sought to create a solution.
In 2019, she created the ComeOnNow! The app is designed to reduce the inefficiency and waste of no-shows and canceled appointments in the growing field of telehealth, focusing on Federally Qualified Health Centers like Swope Health or Vibrant Health.
Currently, they are in a beta test with about 250 users. Through the app, patients and practitioners receive notifications about upcoming appointments. Patients can schedule and adjust appointments according to the scheduling rules of the practitioner’s office rather than by contacting the office.
Dr. Cooper was named a 20 Innovators to Know by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2021, a 2021 Startup to Watch by Startland News, and most recently, The Greater Chamber of Kansas City named Diversity Telehealth a Small Business Superstar.
In May 2021, she and her Co-Authors shared their personal stories and advice in the book Pathways to Her Rise, which became an Amazon Top 100 Best Seller.
I am so impressed with Dr. Cooper’s focus on helping people. Her grit, empathic attitude, and love of her community are just a few driving forces that will allow the team to build a company that can help millions nationwide.
Websites: www.diversitytelehealth.com and www.comeonnow.io