Event planned to say thanks to your physician on Doctor’s Day

From the press release:

The Western Carolina Medical Society (WCMS) and The Buncombe County Medical Society Alliance honors and thanks the physicians in the Buncombe County area at a special “DOCTORS’ DAY” event on Thursday, March 29 from 6am to 10am in the lobby of Mission Hospital in Asheville.

“Doctor’s Day is a way of saying thanks to the physicians who work tirelessly every day to keep their patients and our community healthy,” notes Miriam Schwarz, CEO, and WCMS.

Mission Hospital provides free basic lab work, health screenings and breakfast for the physicians and WCMS provides thank you gifts for the physicians and staff for Doctors Day. There will also be a an educational area on the topic of advanced care planning, providing the “5 Wishes” forms, assistance with filing and required notary.

The Alliance provides a donation in honor of each physician to a designated local charity and a staff of volunteers to do the blood pressure checks.

Donna Wiedrich, Director Member Services of WCMS adds, “We are privileged to have some of the most skilled physicians in the country right here in our own mountains and Doctor’s Day is just one small way we can honor them for all their hard work and dedication to the health of our community.” “The next time you see your physician say thank you or send them a thank you card and let them know how much you appreciate them.”

The first Doctor’s Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day aside to honor physician. This first observance included the mailing of greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of decreased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as a symbolic flower for National Doctor’s Day.

On March 30.1958, a resolution commemorating Doctor’s Day was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives. On October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed a resolution designating March 30 as National Doctor’s Day. Since the days of the Hippocratic Oath, the physicians has been held in high esteem as healer, a trusted confidant and patient advocate. The relationship between physician and patient is invaluable during times of crisis. Technological breakthroughs have done much to advance the science of medicine; however, the patient-physician relationship remains the fundamental tenet of medicine.

“Doctors do more than keep you healthy, notes Schwarz.” our doctor works hard to improve the well- being of the community as a whole. We set aside March 29 as a day to show appreciation for the role of our area’s physicians.”

Doctor’s Day is a joint project of the WCMS the BCMS Alliance and Mission Hospital.

Formed in 1885, Western Carolina Medical Society is a voluntary professional association of 925 physicians throughout Western North Carolina. WCMS is the physicians’ voice advocating for the health of the medical profession, the health of the patient, and the health of the community.

For more information about the Western Carolina Medical Society or Doctor’s Day contact Donna Wiedrich at 828-274-2267 X 313 or go online towww.mywcms.org. WCMS is located at 304 Summit Street in Asheville.