National Doctors’ Day, celebrated on March 30th, is just around the corner. Given the past year, it is more important than ever to recognize physicians for their hard work and dedication to your organization and their community. If you have not yet firmed up your Doctors’ Day festivities, take heart. You can implement many of the following suggestions quickly and easily, and there is something to fit everyone’s budget and bandwidth. Even if your agenda for the day has been set, some of these ideas are straightforward and fun; you may opt to add them to your existing plans.
- Commend physicians for their contributions and dedication to the delivery of quality care. Advise all of your employees to do the same, too. It may seem like a small gesture, but few words have more impact than a simple, heartfelt “thank you.”
- Host a Doctors’ Day Appreciation Lunch. Although we can’t bring people together at this time to celebrate, there are many options for lunch or even breakfast that can be pre-packaged, making for a convenient yet safe way to celebrate.
- Present physicians with a red carnation boutonniere or small corsage. The red carnation is the symbolic flower of National Doctors’ Day, representing the qualities of love, charity, sacrifice, bravery, and courage.
- Arrange for doctors to take 10 minutes for themselves during their shift. It’s a great way to help your physicians de-stress, and it is something you can do on-site. Some ideas for consideration could be taking a walk to get some fresh air, or spending ten minutes using a meditation app such as Headspace.
- Invite patients to write “Happy Doctors’ Day” notes to their physicians. Keep a supply of notecards on hand to make it easy to do, and provide a designated basket or mailbox for the completed cards, which can be distributed to doctors on March 30th.
- Add a special “National Doctors’ Day” section to your website. It will give physicians’ patients, colleagues, and friends another way to express their gratitude and sentiments. You may want to include headshot photos of the providers receiving recognition, but only if you have their consent. Similarly, you should share patients’ accolades on your site and internally if you have their written permission to do so.
- Create a “thank you” video for your physicians, featuring members of your staff singing their praises and expressing appreciation. Video can be shot and edited on an iPhone. If your facility or practice has a YouTube channel, post the video there and encourage employees to share it.
- Make sure physicians always know they are valued and supported. Foster a transparent environment, use independent contractors to fill gaps resulting from open positions and vacations, and hire permanent staff to help manage your critical, long-term needs.
- Provide a way for patients, coworkers, and friends to make an online donation—to your facility or practice, or perhaps a favorite charity—to honor physicians on National Doctors’ Day. Be sure to send a personal acknowledgment to each recognized physician regarding contributions received in his or her name.
- Explore Pinterest boards for more inspiration. The visual bookmarking tool is an excellent resource for discovering and saving creative ideas for your annual celebration. (Use search terms like “Doctors’ Day,” “Doctors’ Day Ideas,” and “Doctors’ Day Gifts.”)
However you choose to commemorate National Doctors’ Day, your physicians will appreciate your gratitude for their service and acknowledgment of their valuable role in healthcare.
Discover how Optimum Permanent Placement Services can advocate for your staffing needs by calling 603.288.1624 to speak with an experienced business development executive today.
