Are you Ready for National Doctors’ Day?

This month and especially on Doctors’ Day, be ready to acknowledge your referring physicians who champion home health and hospice care. After all, physicians are the supporting limb of the home care referral tree. Home health and hospice agencies depend on the endorsement of these medical professionals who entrust them with the care of their patients.

Doctors’ Day was first observed in 1933 by Eudora Brown Almond who decided to set aside a day to honor her husband and other physicians for their dedication to healing. She selected March 30th to coincide with the anniversary of the first use of surgical anesthesia. In 1991, President Bush signed the observance of Doctors’ Day into Law:

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation by President George Bush

 More than the application of science and technology, medicine is a special calling, and those who have chosen this vocation in order to serve their fellowman understand the tremendous responsibility it entails. Referring to the work of physicians, Dr. Elmer Hess, a former president of the American Medical Association, once wrote: “There is no greater reward in our profession than the knowledge that God has entrusted us with the physical care of His people. The Almighty has reserved for Himself the power to create life, but He has assigned to a few of us the responsibility of keeping in good repair the bodies in which this life is sustained.” Accordingly, reverence for human life and individual dignity is both the hallmark of a good physician and the key to truly beneficial advances in medicine…. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 30, 1991, as National Doctors Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities.

Here are a few ideas you can use to show your appreciation to the physicians in your community*:

• Send personalized cards to all the referring physicians in your network.

• Promote Doctors throughout the month of March on your social media sites by highlighting physicians and their role in promoting wellness in the community.

• Reach out to all the physicians in your community with Doctors’ Day remembrance products. It’s an incredible way to show appreciation, introduce your agency, and build new business.

• Contact medical office directors in your area and walk them through Transitional Care Management and Care Plan Oversight. Two ways that physicians can bill for services that may be overlooked.  Take along print media they can share with their staff to illustrate the process.

• Host an appreciation lunch for the physicians new to your community. Partner up with local agencies such as the Realtor association, YMCA, education association, Rotary club, garden club, or Chamber of Commerce to make it a complete welcome wagon affair.  

Visit tagwebstore.com to order your personalized Doctors’ Day products

*Be mindful of regulations regarding compensation for referrals. It’s important to remember that the gifts given can't reflect the volume of referrals provided by the physician. The best solution is to provide the same gift for everyone.

TAG Partners friendly Spring Reminder: March 30th is National Doctors Day!

Doctors Day is an opportunity to recognize Physicians and staff members alike for their dedication to Care giving.  It’s a prime time to spotlight your business while assisting these Doctors and improving their practice.

Here’s some tips to help you get started:

• Start by calling on every doctor in your community, including hospitalists, specialists and general practitioners. Spread the word about how your agency appreciates their dedication and hard work.
• Go public. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about the good work physicians do and how they help the community. Remember to say that your agency couldn’t do all it does without them.
• Say thanks to all the doctors in your community with products made especially for Doctors Day. Be sure to go beyond just those physicians with whom you already have a strong referral relationship. This is a great opportunity to build new physician partnerships. Visit this website to discover physicians in your area who might not be on your marketing radar. 
• Make it a priority to educate physicians about the importance of advance care planning. Many may not be aware of reimbursements available for this service, or they may be uncomfortable initiating the conversation with their patients. This informative guide can help.
• Place an item on your municipal government’s regular meeting agenda seeking to proclaim March 30 as Doctors Day. If your agency furnishes a plaque of appreciation, you will be a podium guest. View the original presidential proclamation here. For an example of a proclamation you can modify for your town, check out this proclamation drafted in Missouri.
• Place an ad in your local newspaper to honor your local doctors. Ask all your current referral sources for permission to put their names in your thank-you ad. You’ll not only show your thanks, but you’ll grab their attention.
• Build relationships with local doctors by setting up appointments to talk about care plan oversight. Teach them about how much money they potentially are leaving on the table by not filing for CPO and they’ll surely remember you when it’s time to make a referral. And it’s not as complicated as it initially seems. Get a great CPO Kit for home health or hospice that includes CPO brochures, payment calculators, billing guides and quick reference guide.
• Contact a local medical condition-based support group or ALF and offer to present a class about how to make the most of your doctor’s visit. TAG Partners offers a ready-made class that a non-clinician can present. Call 866-232-6477 for pricing on individual items.