The Physicians Foundation Opens Nominations for the Dr. Buz Cooper Award for Addressing Drivers of Health

National award recognizes physicians confronting the drivers of health that make patients sicker.

BOSTON, August 3, 2026 — Today, The Physicians Foundation opened nominations for The Dr. Buz Cooper Award for Addressing Drivers of Health, a national award recognizing an early- or mid-career physician demonstrating exceptional leadership in addressing the drivers of health that shape patients’ overall wellbeing.

For decades, efforts to improve the healthcare system and reduce rising costs have focused largely on eliminating waste and inefficiencies. While those challenges remain important, the work of Dr. Richard “Buz” Cooper, showed that meaningful reform must also address poverty and the conditions that make it harder for patients to stay healthy. His research found that communities experiencing greater poverty also face higher rates of illness, greater healthcare utilization and shorter life expectancy— reinforcing a critical truth: poverty is not simply a barrier to care; it is a major driver of health.

“Physicians understand that what happens outside the exam room often determines whether or not a patient can get well,” said Dr. Gary Price, president of The Physicians Foundation. “A patient may receive the right diagnosis and treatment but still be unable to afford medication, find transportation to a follow-up appointment, access nutritious food or safely store insulin. The Dr. Buz Cooper Award honors physicians who see the full picture of their patients’ lives and are working to close the gap between the care prescribed and the treatment patients can realistically achieve.”

These challenges play out every day in physician practices. Patients facing hardship may delay care because they cannot afford deductibles, medications or time away from work. Others may struggle with unstable housing, limited transportation, inadequate access to healthy food, or a lack of trusted community resources. As a result, patients often arrive with conditions that are more advanced, more difficult to treat and more costly to manage. Physicians feel the weight of these barriers: more than six in ten (63%) experience stress, frustration and/or moral distress at least once a week when factors beyond their control make it difficult to stabilize a patient’s chronic disease.

“Dr. Cooper’s work reminds us that addressing drivers of health is not separate from improving healthcare—it is essential to it,” Price said. “This award celebrates physicians who are carrying that vision forward by helping patients overcome barriers that medicine alone cannot solve.”

Nominees should be physicians who are early- or mid-career, meaning they have practiced for fewer than 15 years, and who demonstrate leadership in addressing drivers of health. The award recipient will receive $10,000, opportunities to network with physician leaders and medical executives, and a national platform to share their perspective. Nominations will be accepted through September 13, 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit the following pages:

To nominate a physician for the Dr. Buz Cooper Award, register and login to the online application system, using the access code award26.

To learn more about the award requirements and benefits, visit our leadership award webpage

About The Physicians Foundation 

The Physicians Foundation is a public charity seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and help them facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients. As the U.S. health care system continues to evolve, The Physicians Foundation is steadfast in strengthening the physician-patient relationship, supporting medical practices’ sustainability and helping physicians navigate the changing health care system. The Physicians Foundation pursues its mission through research, education and innovative grant making that improves physician wellbeing, strengthens physician leadership, addresses drivers of health and lifts physician perspectives. For more information, visit www.physiciansfoundation.org.

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