The history of National Doctors Day is an interesting one. The first Doctors Day was observed on March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia.  The wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond (Eudora Brown Almond) decided to set aside a day to honor doctors.  This included mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. National Doctors Day began in 1933 as a local commemoration in Barrow County, Georgia, to celebrate the date on which Dr. Crawford W. Long managed the primary ether sedative for surgery on March 30, 1842. The date for National Doctors Day is the anniversary of the first use of general anesthetic in surgery, as on March 30, 1842 Dr. Long used ether to remove a tumor from a patient’s neck. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctors Day, for the reason that it signifies the qualities of sacrifice, charity, courage, bravery and love.

On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives.  In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctors Day.  Following overwhelming approval by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed S.J. RES # 366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30 as “National Doctors Day.”

As stated in a Presidential Proclamation, what we do is a special calling, and those who have chosen this vocation understand the tremendous responsibility it entails. Doctors carry on every day in our communities through hard work and sacrifice.

Doctors Council looks forward to continuing to work together with each of you to advance our profession and to ensure our voices are heard.

NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY, March 30, 2021

March 2021

From Dr. Frank Proscia, President, Doctors Council SEIU

Dear Doctors Council SEIU members:

Thank You Doctors.  As today – March 30, 2021 – is National Doctors Day, I want to thank each of you for what you have done over the past year and every day.

As President of Doctors Council SEIU, the union that represents doctors, and as a doctor myself, I am very proud of each of you, the commitment you bring and the sacrifices you make.

Our members put their lives on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to do so, often leaving their families behind to care for the most vulnerable and sick patients and to manage and respond to this disease. Doctors are essential workers who chronically worked short-staffed and burned out on the frontlines in the hardest hit areas of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Here we are one year later after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, with too many people having died and way too many more who have been infected.  Our colleagues have died from and been infected with COVID-19 over the last year.  But we also saw the heroic work of doctors and others who stood together and fought COVID-19, essential workers all of who put their lives and livelihoods on the line for those we care for and our communities.

To recognize how far we’ve come in the year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we held a press conference at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York City, to say “Thank You Doctors” to all the doctor heroes who have given so much and been there for those we care for and our communities over the last year with the COVID-19 pandemic.  We honor our doctor heroes while remembering the patients we cared for and those whose lives were lost.

This “Thank You Doctors” press conference is for all of you, no matter where you work or what you do.  Each of you deserve and have earned that thanks.

You can watch the video of the “Thank You Doctors” press conference via this link.

You can view photos from the “Thank You Doctors” press conference via this link.

On March 30th each year, National Doctors Day honors doctors for your dedication and what you do for our society and communities. On National Doctors Day, we say “thank you” to our doctors for all that they do for us and our loved ones.  You can read more about National Doctors Day here.

As a doctor myself and President of Doctors Council SEIU, I realize the commitment and sacrifices each of you has made to be a doctor. It took years of school, residency, study and training to be where you are today. The commitment that you bring every day and every shift is to be commended.  We celebrate your dedication to those we care for and the communities we serve.

That is why we at Doctors Council SEIU want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for being a doctor and a member of our union and profession.  March 30th is National Doctors Day every year.  We believe that every day should be a day to recognize doctors.

Thank you for what you are doing every day especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank You Doctors.

Take Action Now to Protect NYS Funding to NYC public facilities and services – tell the NYS Assembly and Senate to Protect Patients, Communities and Jobs

Dear Doctors Council SEIU member who works in New York City:

We have been meeting with a number of New York State Assembly and Senate offices and will continue to do so throughout this month of March.  We have been advocating that funding not be cut to New York City public services and patient care, whether to H+H, safety-net facilities or Mayoral Agencies, such as the DOHMH or DOE.  NYS must not pass a budget that puts public services for our most vulnerable residents at risk or that jeopardizes jobs.

It is important that the NYS Assembly and Senate hear from you as a doctor and member of Doctors Council SEIU.  Please take the time to send a message to your State Assembly and Senate representatives by emailing them via this link.  Please enter your home or work email, address and zip code in New York.  Your voice is important and needs to be heard.

The suggested wording of the email message touches upon a number of funding mechanisms to NYC which, if cut, will further exacerbate the fiscal crisis as well as jeopardize services and jobs.  We are also advocating (as we did last year) against the State posting on a website whenever a complaint is brought against a doctor without first ensuring due process for the doctor by investigating the allegation and protecting the doctor’s license against false or untrue complaints.

We need to continue this State advocacy despite any federal Congressional economic relief that may be coming to NYS as there is talk that it will not be enough or that cuts will be made nonetheless.

Thanks for taking the time to advocate for those we take care of, our communities and our jobs.

Kevin Collins

Executive Director
Doctors Council

Dear Doctor:

In February 2021, Doctors Council held a Free Benefit Plan/ Welfare Fund presentation on Doctors Council benefits for our members and families for eligible members of Doctors Council.  

It was great to see so many doctors on the video call.  Many of you have shared positive feedback which is appreciated.  We are glad that you found the presentation useful and informative.

For eligible members covered by our Doctors Council Benefit Plan, please click here for a Summary Booklet and please click here for the full Summary Plan Description (SPD).

For eligible members covered by our Doctors Council Welfare Fund, please click here for a Summary Booklet and please click here for the full Summary Plan Description (SPD).

Below is the video recording of the Benefit Plan presentation.

Below is the video recording of the Welfare Fund presentation.

These benefits are all part of Doctors Council providing many services to our members, including in bargaining, job protection, grievances and arbitrations to protect our contract rights, compensation, giving a strong voice at work, and empowering doctors to advocate in community and policy issues.

We also provide programming events of interest to our members, such as these informative presentations.  

If you have any questions on our Doctors Council Benefit Plan/ Welfare Fund please email info@doctorscouncil.org

Please keep safe and well.

In Unity,

Frank Proscia, M.D.                 Kevin Collins
President                                   Executive Director

Dear Doctor:

In January 2021, Doctors Council held a Free Tax Prep Forum For Doctors for members of Doctors Council.  It was great to see so many doctors on the video call.  We have heard from many of you that the forum was excellent and informative and we appreciate the feedback.

As was requested by many of you, please click here for a pdf of the PowerPoint that was presented.

Also, below is the video recording of the presentation.

Many have asked about utilizing the Tax Preparation and Financial Planning Benefit for themselves or their  family.  Please click here for a flyer on the benefit and if you want to use it simply email info@doctorscouncil.org

Doctors Council provides many services to our members, including in bargaining, job protection, grievances and arbitrations to protect our contract rights, compensation, giving a strong voice at work, and empowering doctors to advocate in community and policy issues.

We also provide programming events of interest to our members, such as this timely forum as we enter into tax season so you can best plan for yourself and your family.  We want to remind you of this important benefit through Doctors Council.

Please keep safe and well.

In Unity,

Frank Proscia, M.D.                 Kevin Collins
President                                   Executive Director

2020 Census

Each decade the United States government fulfills its constitutional duty to count each and every person living in the country by conducting the Census. The importance of the Census should not be underestimated. The results and accuracy of the Census will decide how and where $700 billion in US federal funding is allocated (including funding for municipalities, schools, and hospitals) and will determine Congressional representation among the states. If you have not already, please complete your Census today.

Completing your Census will help in having where we work and live receive vitally needed funding.

Please visit this link to ensure you are counted: https://my2020census.gov/

Tuesday, June 23 NYS Primary

New York’s Primary Day is Tuesday, June 23.  This election is important as New York State deals with a growing budget deficit that impacts funding in general and to our facilities where we work.

After a thorough process that was open to our COPE contributors and included a questionnaire and interviews, we have endorsed the following candidates for New York State Senate and Assembly and encourage you to vote for them.  We believe the candidates listed below will best fight for quality care for all, for the issues that impact our patients, those we care for and provide services for, our communities, and stand up for working families and union members, especially dealing with COVID-19.

District Senate:

13 Jessica Ramos
18 Julia Salazar
20 Zellnor Myrie
23 Diane Savino
25 Tremaine Wright
31 Robert Jackson
32 Luis Sepúlveda
33 Gustavo Rivera
34 Alessandra Biaggi

District Assembly:

35 Jeffrion Aubry
36 Aravella Simotas
39 Catalina Cruz
57 Walter Mosley
64 Brandon Patterson
65 Yuh-Line Niou
70 Inez Dickens
71 Al Taylor
74 Harvey Epstein
75 Richard Gottfried
87 Karines Reyes
100 Aileen Gunther

https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-care-spending-soars-in-new-york-state-11564459260