At Virtua Health, care begins with humanity. Seeing the person behind the patient shapes every interaction, every decision, and every moment of connection. Compassion isn’t a soft skill — it’s measurable; it improves outcomes, and it has the power to transform lives.

Studies show that when patients feel compassion from their providers, they face significantly lower odds of complications from chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Research also links compassionate care to better quality of life, stronger trust, and reduced burnout among clinicians. Yet most opportunities for compassion are missed in everyday medical encounters, reminding us that compassion must be intentional.

How Compassion Improves Health Outcomes

Compassion and equity go hand in hand. When care is grounded in cultural humility and dignity, it helps remove barriers that disproportionately affect those facing systemic challenges. Without compassion, inequities deepen. With it, care becomes accessible, trusting, and responsive to real needs.

This commitment guides Virtua’s work across South Jersey. Through the Unite Us social-care platform, providers can directly connect patients to food, housing assistance, mental health support, and financial resources. The network spans more than 3,000 providers in 400 locations, helping ensure no one falls through the cracks.

Compassion in the Community

At Virtua, we bring compassion into neighborhoods through programs that support basic needs while expanding access to care.

Eat Well Food Access Programs

The Eat Well initiative delivers healthy, affordable foods directly to communities:

• The Mobile Farmers Market offers fresh, seasonal produce at discounted prices.
• The Mobile Grocery Store brings culturally relevant foods to areas with limited access.
• The Food Farmacy supports patients with chronic conditions through nutritious foods and education.

Mobile Health and Cancer Screenings

Virtua’s Mobile Health and Cancer Screening Unit provides lifesaving preventive care at community centers, faith-based organizations, and local businesses.

Through NJCEED, eligible uninsured and underinsured residents can receive free breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer screenings.

Pediatric Mobile Services

Virtua's Pediatric Mobile Services provides children from infancy to age six in communities throughout South Jersey with health services they need. The fully-equipped program on wheels offers a range of services, including dental and developmental screenings, blood lead level testing, lead poisoning education, flu shots, back-to-school physicals, vision and hearing screenings, health education, community resources, and referrals to specialized services.

A Culture Built on Compassion

A compassionate environment also strengthens the workforce. Virtua’s commitment to diversity, belonging, and colleague well-being has earned recognition from Forbes, Newsweek, and Modern Healthcare. These honors reflect a culture where every colleague’s story matters and where compassion is supported from the inside out.

Every day, Virtua colleagues bring these values to life. Their moments of teamwork, empathy, and innovation reveal what it truly means to lead with heart.