We are in the last quarter of 2020. Many HR leaders are involved in developing their business plans for 2021. It is not too early to start planning and budgeting for the recognition events that you want to celebrate in the coming year. To help you in this project, we have developed a list of recognition/awareness dates. Again this year, there seems to be a month/week/day for everybody. You won’t want to leave anyone out.
January
- Blood Donor Month
- Cervical Health Awareness Month
- Nurses Day – Jan. 25
February
- American Heart Month
- Wise Health Care Consumer Month
- Peri-Anesthesia Nurse Week – Feb. 1-7
- Cardiovascular Professionals Week – Feb. 14-20
- Phlebotomists Recognition Week – Feb. 15-19
March
- National Nutrition Month
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Employee Appreciation Week – Mar. 1-5
- Dental Assistants Recognition Week – Mar. 7-13
- Registered Dietician Nutritionist Day – Mar. 10
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week – Mar. 14 – 20
- Health Care HR Professionals Week – Mar. 15-19
- World Tuberculosis Day – Mar. 24
- National Doctors Day – Mar. 30
April
- Alcohol Awareness Month
- Autism Awareness Month
- Child Abuse Awareness Month
- Donate Life Month
- Occupational Therapy Month
- Patient Access Week – Apr. 4-10
- World Health Day – Apr. 7
- National Youth HIV & AIDS Day – Apr. 10
- Medical Lab Professionals Week – Apr. 18- 24
- Volunteer Appreciation Week – Apr. 18 -24
- Transplant Nurses Week – Apr. 26-30
May
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
- Fibromyalgia Awareness Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Skin Cancer Awareness Month
- Stroke Awareness Month
- Global Employee Health & Fitness Month
- Critical Care Recognition Month
- Nurses Month
- National Hospital Week – May 9-15
- National Skilled Nursing Care Week – May 9-15
- Neuroscience Nurses Week – May 9-15
- Healthcare Technology Management Week – May 16-23
- Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week (Medical Records) – May 16-22
June
- Men’s Health Month
- National Headache and Migraine Month
- Cataract Awareness Month
- PTSD Awareness Month
- National Safety Month
- Men’s Health Week – June 15-21
- National Nursing Assistant Week – June 17-24
- Health Risk Management Week – 21-25
July
- Cord Blood Awareness Month
- World Hepatitis Day – July 28
- National Therapeutic Week -July 11-17
August
- National Immunization Month
- Psoriasis Awareness Month
- World Breastfeeding Week – Aug. 1-6
- National Health Center Week – Aug. 8-14
- Health Unit Coordinator Week – Aug. 23-29
- Physician Family Day – Aug. 28
September
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Prostate Health Month
- Global Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month
- Sepsis Awareness Month
- Gynecological Cancer Month
- Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
- Sickle Cell Awareness Month
- Vascular Nurses Week – Sept. 5-11
- Suicide Prevention Week – Sept. 6-12
- National Environmental Services Week – Sept. 12-18
- National Assisted Living Week – Sept. 12-18
- Neonatal Nurses Week – Sept. 13-19
- Global Clean Hands Week – Sept. 19-25
- Nursing Professional Development Week – Sept. 20-24
October
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- American Pharmacists Month
- National Physical Therapy Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Health Literacy MonthÂ
- Clergy Appreciation Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- Ultrasound Awareness Month
- Healthcare Supply Chain Week – Oct. 3-9
- National Mammography Day – Oct. 15
- Emergency Nurses Week – Oct. 10-16
- Sterile Processing Week – Oct. 10-16
- Dialysis Technician Recognition Week – Oct. 11-16
- International Infection Prevention Week – Oct. 16-22
- Medical Assistants Recognition Week – Oct. 18-22
- Nuclear Science Week – Oct. 18-22
- National Healthcare Facilities & Engineering Week – Oct. 24-30
- National Respiratory Care Week – Oct. 24-30
November
- American Diabetes Month
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
- National Adoption Month
- COPD Awareness Month
- Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
- Epilepsy Awareness Month
- Family Caregivers Month
- National Hospice & Palliative Care Month
- National Patient Transport Week k- Nov. 1-7
- Allied Health Professionals Week – Nov. 7-13
- National Nurse Practitioner Week – Nov. 7-13
- National Radiological Technology Week – Nov. 7-13
- World Pneumonia Day – Nov. 12
- Great American Smokeout – Nov. 19
December
- Give the Gift of Sight Month
- World AIDS Day – Dec. 1
- National Handwashing Awareness Week – Dec. 5-11
- National Influenza Vaccination Week – Dec. 5-11
12 thoughts on “2021 Healthcare Recognition Dates”
Since you are including facilities engineering, Healthcare Technology AKA Biomed week, May 17-23 should also be in there. They are vital for healthcare organizations to succeed.
Jennifer, you are right, they are critical. However, I see the dates you shared as being in 2020. I can’t find any source for those dates in 2021 and some sites include them with Facilities Engineering in October. If you have a better source, I would love to add it to the list.
Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Week, May 16–23, 2021
https://www.aami.org/events/htmweek
Henry: Thanks for the corrected dates and the listing has been updated. It took awhile to track this down. The AAMI site had the info but it required a little bit of drilling down to find it.
I would like to have a National Monitor Tech day
I totally agree we should have a Monitor Tech week.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in October, but it’s not on your list. Best – Becca
Rebecca: Now it is! Thanks for the update as I can’t believe it was missed. It gets more attention by healthcare organizations during the month than many others on the list.
There should be a week for surgical Orderies we work hard
Michael: You are right, surgical Orderlies do work hard. I can’t find any specific recognition days for this position listed anywhere. If anyone comes across a source, let me know. In the meantime, there is no authority that creates these recognition dates. Anyone (or professional group) can petition a congressmen to create a national observation event, or simply start one on its own and publicize it widely enough to gain acceptance.