(CAMDEN, NJ) Cooper University Health Care is proud to announce that Stephen Trzeciak, MD, MPH, the Edward D. Viner Endowed Chief of Medicine and Medical Director for the Adult Health Institute at Cooper, has been awarded the inaugural Schwartz Compassion Champion Award by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. The honor was presented at the 30th Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner held recently in Boston.
The event brought together health care leaders and supporters from across the country and raised more than $900,000 to fund programs supporting compassionate patient care. Dr. Trzeciak, who also serves as Professor and Chair of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, delivered the evening’s keynote address.
A National Honor Reflecting Cooper’s Commitment to Compassionate Care
Dr. Trzeciak—internationally recognized co-author with Cooper co-CEO Anthony Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, of the acclaimed book Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference—has dedicated his career to elevating the science of compassion in medicine. His leadership at Cooper has helped shape a culture where empathy, connection, and evidence-based compassionate care are central to clinical excellence.
“Dr. Trzeciak’s research and advocacy have fundamentally changed how we think about the role of compassion in health care,” said Michael Gustafson, MD, MBA, CEO of the Schwartz Center. “His work has helped advance the scientific foundation for what we’ve always believed—that compassion is a critical component of effective medical care.”
Through his research and publications, Dr. Trzeciak has shown that compassion not only enhances patient experience but also improves clinical outcomes and health care team well-being—evidence that continues to influence Cooper’s own compassionate care initiatives.
A Message That Resonates Across Cooper
“I am honored to be recognized by the Schwartz Center,” said Dr. Trzeciak. “The science is clear: compassion improves outcomes for patients and strengthens the well-being of health care teams. But beyond the data, compassion is what connects us to the very purpose of medicine—caring for people in their most vulnerable moments.”
He expressed his hope that this recognition will help further advance the science of compassion so that it becomes a core competency across all health care settings.
Leaders at the event echoed the power of Dr. Trzeciak’s message. “He has given us the scientific data to advocate for what we know in our hearts to be true—that compassion heals,” said Jean-Paul Rebillard, chair of the Schwartz Center Board.
In addition to recognizing Dr. Trzeciak, the Schwartz Center honored three health care professionals as the 2025 National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year®.
For nearly 30 years, the Schwartz Center has supported health care organizations—including Cooper—through programs such as Schwartz Rounds® that help clinicians reflect on the human side of medicine. Nearly 800 organizations worldwide participate in these programs, which have been shown to strengthen resilience and enhance the delivery of compassionate care.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Cooper, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has revenues of more than $2.4 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.
Cooper has nearly 14,000 team members, including nearly 1,600 nurses, more than 1,000 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.
Cooper operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as three hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, and Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden.
Cooper University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 trauma center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.
More than 2.4 million patients visit Cooper’s facilities annually. Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, several urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.
Cooper was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2025 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.
####