On March 30, 2022, IVX Health is proud to celebrate National Doctor’s Day. We honor the contributions that physicians make in the lives of each individual patient and their communities. It’s a day to recognize all the benefits physicians bring to improving overall health and finding new and innovative ways to cure disease while creating exceptional patient experiences.
A Brief History of National Doctor’s Day
The first observance of Doctor’s Day (at the time it wasn’t yet national) was back in 1933. Eudora Brown Almond decided she wanted to honor her husband, Dr. Charles B. Almond, and other doctors who contribute so much to the care of patients. She mailed greeting cards to practicing and retired physicians in the local community and placed flowers on the graves of deceased physicians at her local cemetery in Winder, Georgia.
She chose March 30 because it was that day, 51 years earlier in 1842, that Dr. Crawford Long first used ether to anesthetize a patient. Dr. Long successfully removed a tumor from his patient’s neck in the nearby community of Jefferson, Georgia, and the patient did not feel anything. The Southern Medical Association Auxiliary took over the celebration, selecting red carnations as the official flower for Doctor’s Day and hosted luncheons every year for decades.
In 1958, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating Doctor’s Day and in 1990, the U.S. House and Senate formally established March 30 as the official day of recognition for doctors. You may notice physicians and staff wearing a symbolic red carnation or sending cards to each other to offer recognition and support.
The Importance of Doctors for Patients and Our Economy
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physicians conduct more than 860 million office visits each year. Another 900 million people go to the hospital for an outpatient procedure or visit, and 130 million people go to the emergency room. In each of these encounters, physicians and their advanced practice clinician partners offer essential care and services to treat acute and chronic health conditions.
A Trusted Profession
Physicians are frequently ranked among the most trusted professionals in America. In 2022, 67% of people surveyed in a national Gallup poll said their trust in medical doctors is high or very high. That ranks second only to nurses, who are key partners in helping doctors provide such great care.
The Economic Impact of Physicians
Physicians also have a significant impact on the local and national economy. According to the American Medical Association’s most recent Economic Impact Report (2018), there are close to 737,000 physicians in the U.S. who provide patient care. They support more than 12.6 million jobs in local communities, including:
- 3.5 million direct jobs for employees who work in clinics and healthcare facilities
- 9.1 million indirect jobs through local wages, taxes, and B2B activities
That’s an average of 17 jobs per physician that all increase economic success at the state and local level. Physicians generate about $2.3 trillion in economic activity, and pay out almost $560 billion in direct wages, which employees can spend both locally and nationally.
IVX Health Celebrates Physicians on National Doctor’s Day
At IVX Health, we know how important physicians are to improving patient care. We work closely with referring specialists – such as gastroenterologists, neurologists, rheumatologists, and pulmonologists, among others – with the goal of improving patient health and outcomes for people with ongoing and long-term chronic conditions, like Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis. We’re proud to celebrate all our partners, and all the physicians in America, on this year’s National Doctor’s Day.