Rebecca M. Schwartz

Hofstra University, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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About

Dr. Rebecca M. Schwartz is a health outcomes researcher whose work sits at the critical intersection of surgical innovation, health equity, and patient-centered quality of life. Her research primarily investigates how advanced surgical technologies—such as robotic-assisted procedures—affect patients’ physical and mental well-being, with a particular focus on disparities among underserved populations. In her highly cited 2014 study, Dr. Schwartz revealed that African American men experience significantly higher decisional regret after robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, a finding that has shaped discussions around informed consent and cultural competency in urologic oncology (36 citations). More recently, she has pioneered comparative effectiveness research on quality of life outcomes following robotic-assisted (RATS) versus video-assisted (VATS) thoracic surgery for early-stage lung cancer, addressing a critical gap in the literature. Her prospective cohort studies provide actionable evidence for surgeons and patients navigating treatment decisions. Dr. Schwartz’s work is distinguished by its commitment to elevating patient voice and exposing inequities within high-tech surgical care, making her a vital contributor to the fields of health services research and surgical oncology.