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.