National Grateful Patient Day
Expressing appreciation for healthcare providers fosters gratitude, strengthens relationships, and enhances the healing process for everyone.
Position your healthcare organization as gratitude-centered by launching a Grateful Patient fundraising program or employee recognition campaign that drives donations and strengthens community trust.
- Share patient testimonials and thank-you stories from your community to humanize care and inspire giving
- Launch a 'Grateful Patient Fund' campaign to collect donations that reduce costs for future patients with similar conditions
- Recognize and celebrate your healthcare workers publicly—spotlight their stories to boost morale and attract talent
- Create a simple thank-you card or gift drive encouraging patients and families to express appreciation to their care teams
National Grateful Patient Day was founded in 2017 as an idea of NFL player Rolf Benirschke which was part of a larger vision for the Grateful Patient Project. After experiencing years of medical challenges that interrupted his NFL career, Rolf wanted to spend his life giving back to the world as an expression of gratitude for those who supported him along the way.
The purpose behind the day was to create a large community of patients who are passionate about expressing their gratitude to their caregivers, medical teams and larger support network. The Grateful Patient Project indicate that their mission is to “find the good and promote it”.
In addition to saying ‘thank you’, the desire is for National Grateful Patient Day to be a venue through which the voices of thousands of patients can be heard, working together to advocate for patient rights in the medical care system. Plus, the hope is that patients will continue sharing their own stories, offering encouragement to one another both locally and around the globe.
Thank a Healthcare Worker
Whether it’s one who is currently caring for you or has done so in the past, National Grateful Patient Day is the perfect time to say thanks to a doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, aide, or other medical professional who has gone above and beyond to care for you or a family member. Sure, it’s their job but, for some, it’s also their calling and they could probably use a bit of encouragement! Send them an email, a card or some other expression of heartfelt appreciation in celebration of this day.
Found a Grateful Patient Program
Hospitals, medical offices, administrators and others in the profession can collaborate to create a Grateful Patient program in honor of National Grateful Patient Day. These programs facilitate donations from former patients who have had positive experiences, along with their families and their communities, that help to lower the cost of healthcare for future patients – often those who have similar medical issues. This is an excellent way to secure funding to better meet the needs of patients who have financial restrictions. Grateful Patient programs can be funded through immediate donations as well as through legacy donations given in the future through wills or trusts.