When you develop your annual marketing and sales plans, you should take advantage of the opportunity to be in front of customers, as well as recognizing your own staff. The national and local healthcare recognition days allow liaisons to legitimately be in front of customers, provide them the content for face-to-face contact, and set the stage for education.
For example, February is American Heart Month, and liaisons can review the hospice admission criteria for end-stage cardiac patient with physicians, wellness coordinators (ALF RN), discharge planners, DONs, etc. They can schedule in-services in nursing homes, assisted living communities and hospitals (discharge planner group, floor nurses, etc.). Our referral sources work hard caring for patients and don’t get thanked enough. The healthcare “holidays” provide a perfect format for recognizing and thanking them.
Here are some general suggestions for these recognition days, weeks and months:
HAVE A PLAN: Decide which recognition days you want to participate in; decide on your hospice’s approach and message; budget for these events; ask liaisons and other team members to brainstorm on creative ideas for each day/week/month
PLAN HOW YOU WILL RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN TEAM MEMBERS: For example, nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides, hospice physicians, etc. You could design and post a “thank-you” poster; write a personal note; provide lunch or a snack and honor the discipline, etc.
IDEAS:
• Posters that can be placed in nursing stations, offices, etc.
• A thank-you letter that the liaisons can mail and hand deliver. For example, “Dear Sally, SW, thank you for your contribution to end-of-life care. Social workers are often the first ones to talk with patients and families…”
• Education events: lunch and learn in-service, one-on-one education briefing, etc.
• Wear the established recognition for the day/week/month: February 3rd is “WEAR RED DAY” for American Heart Month; pink ribbons symbolize breast cancer month in October
• Participate in local community events like an Alzheimer’s walk
• Liaisons should find out what their nursing homes, assisted living communities and hospitals are doing and determine whether their hospice should participate and how
In summary, healthcare recognition days/weeks/month allow you to:
- Thank your own team members
- Thank referral sources
- Be in front of customers
- Be creative
- Provide education
- Differentiate yourself with customers and the community
Annual Healthcare Holidays for Planning
JANUARY
Medical Group Practice WeekFEBRUARY
American Heart Month
Patient Recognition Week
Wear Red Day
Cardiovascular Professionals WeekMARCH
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Kidney Month
Nutrition Month
Professional Social Worker Month
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week
Registered Dietitian Day
Long Term Care Administrators Week
Doctors Day
Patient Safety Awareness WeekAPRIL
Administrative Professionals Day
Healthcare Patient Advocacy Week
National Volunteer Week
Healthcare Administrative Professionals WeekMAY
Older Americans Month
Stroke Awareness Month
Critical Care Awareness & Recognition Month
Nurses Day
National Nurses Week
National Hospital Week
Nursing Home Week
Memorial Day
Oncology Nurses MonthJULY
Nurses in Staff Development WeekAUGUST
Health Unit Coordinator DaySEPTEMBER
Pain Awareness Month
National Grandparents Day
National Assisted Living WeekOCTOBER
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Physical Therapy Month
Physician Assistants Week
Emergency Nurses Week
Pastoral Care Week
Respiratory Care Week
Alzheimer’s Memory Walk
American Heart WalkNOVEMBER
Hospice and Palliative Care Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
COPD Awareness Month
Diabetes Month
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Family Caregiver Month
Home Care Month
Veterans DayDECEMBER
1 World AIDS DayThis list should assist you as you develop your marketing and sales plans. The dates are not all inclusive and were based on healthcare holiday calendars from multiple websites. A hospice program does not have the resources (time, budget, people) to participate in all of these. You should decide which ones are most significant for your referral sources, your staff, your community and your marketing goals and strategies.