Recognition places Cooper Norcross Health among 21 organizations nationwide honored at the highest level in the AMA’s Joy in Medicine program

CAMDEN, NJ — Cooper Norcross Health has earned Gold-level recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) Joy in Medicine® Health System Recognition Program, recognizing the health system’s ongoing commitment to physician well-being and efforts to create an environment where physicians and care teams can thrive.

Cooper Norcross Health is among 21 health care organizations nationwide earning Gold recognition in the 2026–2027 program, which recognizes organizations for addressing system-level factors that contribute to physician burnout and advancing professional well-being. The 2026–2027 cohort includes 92 recognized organizations nationwide, with recognition valid for two years.

“Being recognized at the highest level of the AMA’s Joy in Medicine program is a reflection of the culture we are committed to building at Cooper Norcross Health,” said George E. Norcross III, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “Our physicians and care teams are at the heart of everything we do, and ensuring they have the support, resources, and environment to thrive is essential to delivering the exceptional care our patients deserve.”

“Taking care of the people who care for our patients is fundamental to who we are,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, co-CEO of Cooper Norcross Health. “Our teams bring extraordinary skill, compassion, and dedication to their work every day. Supporting their well-being is essential to our mission to serve, to heal, and to educate.”

The AMA’s Joy in Medicine program evaluates organizations across six areas that contribute to physician well-being: assessment, commitment, efficiency of the practice environment, teamwork, leadership, and support. Gold is the program’s highest level of recognition. Cooper Norcross Health’s application for Gold recognition was guided by the Clinician Joy in Practice Committee, which helps coordinate and advance the health system’s ongoing efforts to strengthen clinician well-being and the practice environment.

Examples of ongoing work to advance clinician well-being include:

  • Invested in physician leadership and career development through leadership training, coaching programs, and professional growth opportunities.
  • Reduced administrative burden by expanding documentation tools that improve efficiency and allow physicians to spend more time with patients.
  • Used physician feedback and workforce data to guide targeted initiatives that strengthen the practice environment and physician well-being.
  • Enhanced physician support and well-being resources through peer support, mental health services, and programs that foster connection, resilience, and help-seeking.

“Physician well-being is closely connected to the health of our entire organization and, ultimately, to the care we provide our patients,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO of Cooper Norcross Health. “We want our physicians and team members to feel supported, valued, and connected to the purpose that brought them to health care in the first place.”

The AMA launched the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program in 2019 to encourage health systems to make sustained, system-level changes that improve physician well-being and address the root causes of burnout. In 2026, 92 organizations earned recognition: 60 at the Bronze level, 11 at the Silver level, and 21 at the Gold level. Of this year’s recognized organizations, 53 are returning recipients and 39 are receiving recognition for the first time.

For Cooper Norcross Health, the recognition reflects an ongoing commitment to creating an environment where physicians can find purpose, meaning and fulfillment in their work—and where they have the support they need to provide the highest-quality care to patients and families.

About Cooper Norcross Health

Cooper Norcross Health, formerly Cooper University Health Care, is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Norcross Medical School of Rowan University. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, Cooper Norcross Health has revenues of more than $3 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.

Cooper Norcross Health has nearly 14,000 team members, including more than 2,200 nurses, more than 1,200 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.

The health system operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as four hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper Norcross University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper Norcross University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, Children’s Hospital at Cooper Norcross Health in Camden, and The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, a substance abuse rehabilitation and inpatient treatment facility, in partnership with Advanced Recovery Systems.

Cooper Norcross 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 eight years.

More than 2.54 million patients visit Cooper Norcross Health facilities annually. Its ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, seven 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 Norcross Health, a not-for-profit health system, was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.

 

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