20
23
Annual
Report
A Message From Elizabeth Hickman
Dear Friends,
Healthcare professionals and leaders are facing unparalleled challenges, and hospitals and health systems continue to face a workforce crisis. Health workers experiencing burnout and traumatic stress have left the profession in unprecedented numbers. In a recent survey of our member community, nearly 80% of respondents said that burnout and staffing shortages are the top challenges facing their organization.
Despite these challenges, many opportunities to accelerate change and improve the healthcare system have been brought to light. There is a collective and renewed focus on healing healthcare and the need for reimagining the healthcare experience—both for front-line health workers and for patients and their families. We are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.
In 2023, we launched the Healing Healthcare Initiative’s (HHI) pilot program to support healthcare leaders in re-creating cultures and systems in which health workers can prioritize their own well-being so they may continue to deliver excellent, equitable, and compassionate care. One chief nursing officer said, “HHI has given us the tools and roadmap for culture change… It is a gift.”
Thanks to support from our donors, we were able to enhance and expand our existing programs and resources, including enhanced Schwartz Rounds® training and support, expanding access to the Foundations of HHI course to all members, and additional resources on our Mental Health and Well-being Resource Page. We also continue to provide ongoing educational opportunities through our Compassion in Action Webinar Series and Compassion in Action Healthcare Conference.
We are deeply grateful to our healthcare member community for their continued commitment to delivering compassionate care, and to our loyal donors for enabling us to provide and expand these critical resources.
As we look to the future, let us unite in our shared humanity and remain grounded in our core values to foster compassion, kindness, empathy, understanding, and a collective commitment to healing. We look forward to partnering with our new CEO, Michael Gustafson, MD, MBA as we write the next chapter of the Schwartz Center. Thank you for joining us in our vision to create a world where all who seek and provide care experience compassion.
Elizabeth Hickman, Chief Operating Officer
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
The Healing Healthcare Initiative
Healthcare workers are exhausted and stretched thin at best – and at worst they are anxious, depressed and suffering from traumatic stress. We have to change the system in order for caregivers to thrive and provide the best possible care to patients and families. That’s why we’ve launched the Healing Healthcare Initiative (HHI). Over the past year, this pilot initiative has guided leaders to reimagine how the workplace can better support their health workers’ well-being, so they can focus on delivering equitable, compassionate patient care. HHI is focused on solutions, not silos – by supporting and empowering healthcare leaders with resources and tools to ensure that their organization, workforce, and patients can thrive. We need to heal our health system so that health workers can heal their patients.
Our Impact
37,010+ caregivers, representing 50 states and 39 countries, viewed our Compassion in Action Webinar Series.
Our programs and resources are utilized by caregivers across the country and around the world.
600+ sites across the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand are Schwartz Center members, with another 280+ sites running our Schwartz Rounds program through our partner in the U.K. and Ireland.
90% of caregivers who attended multiple Schwartz Rounds reported better communication with their co-workers.
86% of caregivers who attended multiple Schwartz Rounds reported feeling more compassionate toward patients and families.
Healthcare Organizations We Support
Our vision is a world where all who seek and provide healthcare experience compassion.
NATIONAL COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVERS OF THE YEAR
The National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year® Award recognizes extraordinary healthcare professionals from across the country who embody the characteristics of compassionate care and whose professional achievements have helped to create healing healthcare environments for patients, families, colleagues, and communities. To nominate a caregiver and learn more, visit our NCCY page.
CORMAN IMPACT HONORS
The Corman IMPACT Honors celebrates Schwartz Center healthcare members who are making a transformational impact by creating programs or initiatives that promote compassionate, collaborative care within their organization or system.
We know that leading by example is the most effective way to inspire others to make compassionate care a priority and we want to recognize our healthcare members who are doing that. To nominate a program or learn more, visit our Corman IMPACT Honors page.
Mental Health and Well-being Resources
37,150+ caregivers accessed our mental health and well-being resources page.
This page shares resources and information to help caregivers and healthcare leaders manage the stress and anxiety they are experiencing.
One popular resource is our special webinar series featuring leading practitioners and researchers. You are invited to watch the recorded webinars and sign up for upcoming sessions.
Donor Spotlight
CRICO
“Compassionate care is better and safer care,” said Mark E. Reynolds, president and CEO of CRICO and chair of the Schwartz Center Board.
Founded close to 50 years ago, the CRICO insurance program includes all of the Harvard medical institutions and their affiliates.
CRICO’s mission to protect providers and promote safety aligns with the Schwartz Center’s vision of a world where all who seek and provide healthcare experience compassion. Through a shared commitment to safeguard the workforce, advance compassionate care, and promote caregiver well-being, CRICO and the Schwartz Center highlight how nonprofits and businesses can work together to support healthcare workers.
CRICO
“Compassionate care is better and safer care,” said Mark E. Reynolds, president and CEO of CRICO and chair of the Schwartz Center Board.
Founded close to 50 years ago, the CRICO insurance program includes all of the Harvard medical institutions and their affiliates.
CRICO’s mission to protect providers and promote safety aligns with the Schwartz Center’s vision of a world where all who seek and provide healthcare experience compassion. Through a shared commitment to safeguard the workforce, advance compassionate care, and promote caregiver well-being, CRICO and the Schwartz Center highlight how nonprofits and businesses can work together to support healthcare workers.
A longtime supporter of the Schwartz Center National Business Membership program, CRICO is also the National Presenting Platinum Sponsor of the National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year Award.
“The National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year award shines a light on examples of compassion that are representative of the compassionate care demonstrated by healthcare workers on a daily basis. Schwartz Center programs encourage compassionate care by supporting the well-being and mental health of healthcare providers. We are proud to support the NCCY award, the Schwartz Center, and their promotion of better, safer care,” said Mark.
Donor Spotlight
Susan Donahue
“Empathy, caring and building trust are critical for both patients and providers,” says Susan Donahue, a philanthropist and strategist with a passion for healthcare equity and a dedication to community service. Through her leadership roles on many non-profit Boards, including Health Leads and Boston Medical Center, she has witnessed firsthand the impact of quality healthcare on individuals and communities, sparking her commitment to support organizations that improve healthcare access and outcomes.
Susan’s philanthropic contributions and leadership have made a significant impact on healthcare nonprofits in the Boston area. Her strategic approach to philanthropy has not only provided immediate relief to underserved populations, but has also fostered long-term solutions to address systemic healthcare challenges. This is what led her to become invested in the Schwartz Center’s mission.
Susan Donahue
“Empathy, caring and building trust are critical for both patients and providers,” says Susan Donahue, a philanthropist and strategist with a passion for healthcare equity and a dedication to community service. Through her leadership roles on many non-profit Boards, including Health Leads and Boston Medical Center, she has witnessed firsthand the impact of quality healthcare on individuals and communities, sparking her commitment to support organizations that improve healthcare access and outcomes.
Susan’s philanthropic contributions and leadership have made a significant impact on healthcare nonprofits in the Boston area. Her strategic approach to philanthropy has not only provided immediate relief to underserved populations, but has also fostered long-term solutions to address systemic healthcare challenges. This is what led her to become invested in the Schwartz Center’s mission.
“Ken Schwartz’s words have resonated with me since I first learned about the work of the Schwartz Center many years ago,” she said. “‘Compassion is what makes the unbearable bearable.’ I admire the way the Center supports many types of caregivers across the entire spectrum of healthcare institutions.”
Susan channeled this vision as a co-chair of the 2023 Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner, helping us raise critical funds that will enable us to reach even more caregivers and patients through our programs. These programs are more important than ever in the face of increasing challenges in the healthcare community.
“All patients have three dimensions that need to be addressed: their medical needs, their social determinants and circumstances, and their emotional needs. You can’t have good patient outcomes without addressing all three,” she said. “And in today’s demanding healthcare environment, the Schwartz Center provides the scaffolding and support for caregivers to better deal with the demands that can lead to burnout and to be able to fully support their patients”
By supporting the Schwartz Center, Susan is helping us build a world where all who seek and provide care experience compassion. Looking to the future, she says, “I’d like to see the future of healthcare evolve into a more equitable, collaborative system. Compassion is an important steppingstone to this end.”
Donor Spotlight
Point32Health
“As a not-for-profit health and well-being company, Point32Health knows the importance of supporting our healthcare professionals, as they provide exceptional and compassionate care to those who need it most,” said Cain A. Hayes, president and CEO of Point32Health.
Built on the heritage of its founding organizations, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Point32Health offers a broad range of health plans and innovative tools that make navigating health and well-being easier, guiding its members to better health outcomes. It strives to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare, enhance patient and member care, and create healthier communities for all.
Point32Health
“As a not-for-profit health and well-being company, Point32Health knows the importance of supporting our healthcare professionals, as they provide exceptional and compassionate care to those who need it most,” said Cain A. Hayes, president and CEO of Point32Health.
Built on the heritage of its founding organizations, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Point32Health offers a broad range of health plans and innovative tools that make navigating health and well-being easier, guiding its members to better health outcomes. It strives to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare, enhance patient and member care, and create healthier communities for all.
The company is also a leader in philanthropy. In 2022, Point32Health and its Foundation gave more than $15M through grants, matching gifts, sponsorships, volunteer time, and in-kind and other donations to support nonprofit community organizations across the region. As a supporter of the Schwartz Center, Point32Health helps foster a culture of compassion in the healthcare system, including healthcare providers, patients, and their families.
“The Schwartz Center is a world-class leader in supporting the mental health and well-being of all healthcare professionals, which aligns with our purpose of guiding and empowering healthier lives for everyone,” said Cain. “We are proud to support the Schwartz Center in putting compassion at the heart of healthcare.”
The Marjorie Stanzler Fund
The Marjorie Stanzler Fund (MSF) was established in 2015 to create access to Schwartz Center programs for healthcare organizations that otherwise could not afford them. As health disparities have widened in the U.S., many healthcare institutions, such as safety net hospitals, small rehab centers, VA hospitals, and community health clinics, have been unable to allocate funds to support programs for their caregivers’ well-being and mental health. Grants from the Marjorie Stanzler Fund help remove financial barriers for healthcare organizations to support their staff through evidence-based programs like the Schwartz Rounds® and Stress First Aid to stem the unprecedented rate of caregiver burnout in the U.S. today. In 2023, the Marjorie Stanzler Fund supported Schwartz Rounds at 19 hospitals across the U.S. and we hope to provide even more access in 2024.
Compassion in Action Conference
The virtual conference offered 24+ sessions featuring workshops and panel presentations on advancing cultures of compassion, communication, interprofessional teamwork and interpersonal skills. Participants learned to apply those techniques towards initiatives and strategies that achieve the quadruple aim of improving patient experience, population health and workforce well-being while lowering costs. Recorded sessions are still available for viewing, and continuing education credits are available.
215+ attendees joined our Virtual Compassion in Action Healthcare Conference
85% of the attendees said the conference updated their knowledge and skills
98% of the attendees believe that the knowledge gained from the conference will lead them to change the way they practice
Financial Highlights 2023
During Fiscal Year 2023, 79% of all spending was directed to mission-specific programming. Fundraising and administrative costs, which are core mission support, represent the remainder. Our programs rely on core mission support to ensure the growth and impact of our mission. Strategic investments in programs resulted in an expected $700k loss in Fiscal Year 2023
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, we remain committed to supporting health workers during this tumultuous time in healthcare. We will continue to expand our reach to more caregivers and their patients. Our work has never been more important, and the impact of your support has never been more meaningful.
Thank you for joining us in this mission to put compassion at the heart of healthcare.