National Hospital Week is May 8-14, a week specifically set aside to celebrate hospitals and show thanks and appreciation to those who work in them, for the vital role they play in the health of our community.

This year’s theme, We Are Health Care, honors all of our hospital team members for their hard work and dedication to keeping our patients and their families safe and healthy.

“The strength and commitment demonstrated by our nurses, physicians, caregivers, and staff is deeply appreciated and admired,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center. “I am thankful to them every day for stepping up in the moments that matter most to our patients and for their unwavering support as we continue to work together to ensure every patient in our community receives high-quality, compassionate care.”

Since 1921, hospitals across the country have been celebrating National Hospital Week. The event has grown over the past 100 years and is now the nation’s largest health care event, providing an opportunity to highlight hospitals, health systems, and health care workers and the innovative ways they are supporting and connected to their community.

At Doctors Medical Center, we celebrated Hospital Week throughout the week with a variety of events and activities including gratitude postcards, pineapple decorating contest, raffles and more. We also hosted a hospital-wide BBQ Luau that featured a delicious menu, photo booth, outdoor games and more. Our chaplain, Jeremy Brown, also performed “Blessing of the Hands” during the BBQ. This is a tradition in healthcare dating back to the 19th Century. By design, Blessing of the Hands is an intentional time set aside during the work day to bring encouragement and renewal to healthcare workers.