Thank a physician on National Doctors’ Day
3/27/2018
Every March 30, hospital administrators and staff set aside some time to honor physicians – and we will do the same this year.
This observance, known as National Doctors’ Day, is typically marked by a special meal in the physician lounge or the presentation of a token of our appreciation.
These gestures pale in comparison to the contribution physicians make to the communities they serve and do not even come close to expressing the gratitude we have for our doctors.
Doctors’ Day is unlike many other observances which allow for a day off from work. The men and women who chose medicine as their career paths still have to show up for work on this special day. People still visit their doctor’s offices because of illness or a routine examination. Surgery schedules continue, the emergency department and walk-in clinics remain open and x-rays and other diagnostic tests must be reviewed.
In a sense, doctors never really stop working. They do not have the luxury of punching out at the end of the day. They may have to leave the family dinner table to respond to an urgent call from a sick patient or be called out in the middle of the night to deliver a baby or perform an emergency operation on a trauma patient.
Even on their scheduled days off – vacations and holidays – it’s not unusual for relatives and friends to ask for some quick advice or health tip at a gathering. That old cliché “Is there a doctor in the house?” is not that far-fetched.
Yet, because of the rapidly changing health care scene and often contentious debate surrounding this field, doctors often unjustly bear the brunt of criticism.
Most doctors are where they are for one reason: They want to help people.
We hope they accept our small gestures this March 30 and understand they are appreciated for their compassion, admired for their wisdom, and applauded for their dedication.
To every physician: Thank you for all you do for our patients, our hospitals and our communities.
-Cornelio Catena
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