The list of 2024 healthcare recognition dates has arrived! With your help, it may be the most comprehensive list available. It includes dates for employee recognition as well as dates for recognition and awareness of medical conditions/diseases.
Why are medical conditions included since this blog is directed at HR professionals? I am glad you asked. Medical awareness dates have been included because: (1) several HR leaders shared that they try to tailor employee wellness communications around these dates, (2) many non-HR departments (marketing, communications, nursing) are using our list.
The information is organized by month as follows:
- Monthly – alpha
- Weekly – Chronological
- Day – Chronological
Dates that involve recognition of people or healthcare roles are listed in bold.
Several readers ask me where these recognition dates come from. Who is the authority that establishes them? We addressed this question in an earlier post. Sometimes they are created because of a requested congressional proclamation. Most of them come from related professional organizations that create them.
So, as always, let me know if any have been missed or new ones that have been created.
January
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
- Glaucoma Awareness Month
- National Birth Defects Awareness Month
- National Blood Donor Month
- Thyroid Awareness Month
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Week – Jan. 22-28
- National Activity Professionals Week – Jan. 22-28
- World Braille Day – Jan. 4
- National Pharmacist Day – Jan. 12
- National IV Nurse Day – Jan. 25
- National Activity Professionals Day – Jan. 26
- World Leprosy Day – Jan. 28
February
- AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
- American Heart Month
- National Cancer Prevention Month
- National Children’s Dental Health Month
- Wise Health Care Consumer Month
- National Patient Recognition Week – Feb. 1-7
- Pride in Foodservice Week – Feb. 5-9
- Peri-Anesthesia Nurse Week – Feb. 4 – 10
- Cardiovascular Professionals Week – Feb. 11-17
- Phlebotomist Recognition Week – Feb. 12-16
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week – Feb. 13-19
- National Eating Disorders Awareness Week – Feb. 26 – Mar. 1
- Wear Red Day – Feb. 2
- National Women Physician Day – Feb. 3
- Peri-Anesthesia Nurse Day – Feb. 7
- International Epilepsy Day – Feb. 13
- National Caregivers Day – Feb. 16
March
- American Red Cross Month
- Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Endometriosis Awareness Month
- Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
- National Athletic Training Month
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- National Nutrition Month
- National Social Work Month
- National Aplastic Anemia and MDS Awareness Week – Mar 1-6
- Dental Assistants Recognition Week – Mar. 3-9
- National School Social Work Week – Mar. 3-9
- No More Week (Domestic Violence) – Mar. 3-9
- National Endometriosis Awareness Week – Mar. 4 -10
- National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week – Mar. 10-16
- Patient Safety Awareness Week – Mar. 10-16
- World Glaucoma Week – Mar. 10-16
- Healthcare HR Professionals Week – Mar. 11-15
- National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week (US) – Mar. 13-19
- National Poison Prevention Week -Mar. 17-23
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week – Mar. 18-23
- National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week (UK) – Mar. 25 – Apr. 1
- Baby Sleep Day – Mar. 1
- Employee Appreciation Day – Mar. 1
- Endometriosis Awareness Day – Mar. 1
- Aplastic Anemia Awareness Day – Mar. 4
- Brain Injury Awareness Day – Mar. 4
- National Dentist Day – Mar. 6
- Registered Dietician Nutritionist Day- Mar. 13
- Certified Nurses Day – Mar. 19
- World Social Work Day – Mar. 19
- National Marketing Day – Mar. 20
- World Tuberculosis Day – Mar. 24
- American Diabetes Association Alert Day – Mar. 26
- National Medical Billers Day – Mar. 28
- National Doctors Day – Mar. 30
- Anesthesia Tech Day – Mar. 31
April
- Autism Awareness Month
- Cesarean Awareness Month
- Defeat Diabetes Month
- IBS Awareness Month
- National Alcohol Awareness Month
- National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- National Donate Life Month
- National Primary Immunodeficiency Awareness Month
- National Volunteer Month
- Occupational Therapy Month
- Oral Cancer Awareness Month
- Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
- Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
- National Cancer Registrars Week – Apr. 1-5
- Patient Access Week – Apr. 1-5
- National Public Health Week – Apr. 1-7
- National Integrated Respiratory Care Week – Apr. 7 – 13
- National Osteopathic Medicine Week – Apr. 17-23
- Administrative Professionals Week – Apr. 21-27
- Health Information Professionals Week – Apr. 18-24
- Medical Laboratory Professionals Week-Apr. 21-27
- National Volunteer Week – Apr. 21-27
- National Infant Immunization Week – Apr. 22-29
- Transplant Nurses Week – Apr. 22-29
- World Autism Awareness Day – Apr. 2
- National Alcohol Screening Day – Apr. 4
- National Employee Benefits Day – Apr. 6
- World Health Day – Apr. 7
- World Parkinson’s Day – Apr. 11
- National Donate Life Blue & Green Day – Apr. 12
- World Hemophilia Day – Apr. 17
- Administrative Professionals Day – Apr. 24
- National Sarcoidosis Day – Apr. 30
May
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Better Sleep Month
- Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
- Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Lyme Disease Awareness Month
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month
- National Cancer Research Month
- National Critical Care Awareness Month
- National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
- National Hypertension Awareness Month
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
- National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
- National Stroke Awareness Month
- Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month
- North American Occupational Safety and Health Week – May 5-11
- National Nurses Week – May 6-12
- Huntington’s Disease Awareness Week – May 11-17
- National Hospital Week – May 12-18
- National Skilled Nursing Care Week – May 12-18
- National Women’s Health Week – May 12-18
- Neuroscience Nurses Week – May 12-18
- Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week – May 17-23
- Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Week – May 19-24
- National EMS Week – May 19-25
- World Hand Hygiene Day – May 5
- Melanoma Monday – May 6
- National Nurses Day – May 6
- World Lupus Day – May 10
- International Huntington’s Disease Awareness Day – May 15
- National Employee Health and Fitness Day – May 15
- Critical Care Wear Blue Day – May 17
- Neurofibromatosis Awareness Day – May 17
- World Hypertension Day – May 17
- National Speech Pathologist Day – May 18
- Emergency Medical Services Day – May 19
- Hepatitis Testing Day – May 19
- National Accounts Receivable Appreciation Day – May 19
- International Human Resources Day – May 20
- National Medical Coder Day – May 23
- World Thyroid Day – May 25
- World No Tobacco Day – May 31
June
- Cataract Awareness Month
- Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
- National Aphasia Awareness Month
- National Men’s Health Month
- National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
- National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month
- National Safety Month
- National Scleroderma Awareness Month
- National Scoliosis Awareness Month
- National Men’s Health Week – June 10-16
- National Nursing Assistants Week – June 13-19
- Healthcare Risk Management Week – June 19-23
- Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week – June 25 – July 1
- National Skincare Education Day – June 1
- National Cancer Survivors Day – June 2
- World Blood Donor Day – June 14
- National Career Nurse Assistants Day – June 15
- World Sickle Cell Awareness Day – June 19
- National HIV Testing Day – June 27
- National PTSD Awareness Day – June 27
July
- Cord Blood Awareness Month
- UV Safety Awareness Month
- National Therapeutic Recreation Week – July 7-13
- World Plastic Surgery Day – July 15
- National Intern Day – July 25
- System Administrator Appreciation Day – July 26
- World Hepatitis Day – July 28
August
- Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- MedicAlert Awareness Month
- National Eye Exam Month
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Psoriasis Awareness Month
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month
- National Minority Donor Awareness Week – Aug. 1-7
- World Breastfeeding Week – Aug. 1-7
- National Health Center Week – Aug. 4-10
- Health Unit Coordinators Week – Aug. 23-29
- National Minority Donor Awareness Day – Aug. 1
- World Lung Cancer Day – Aug. 1
- Health Unit Coordinators Day – Aug. 23
September
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
- National Cholesterol Education Month
- National Infant Mortality Awareness Month
- National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
- National Recovery Month
- National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
- Pain Awareness Month
- Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month
- Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Month
- Sepsis Awareness Month
- Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
- Environmental Services Week – Sept. 8-14
- National Assisted Living Week – Sept. 8-14
- Neonatal Nurses Week – Sept. 14-20
- Nursing Professional Development Week – Sept. 15-21
- Vascular Nurses Week – Sept. 10-16
- National Surgical Technologists Week – Sept. 16-20
- World Physical Therapy Day – Sept. 8
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day – Sept. 9
- World Suicide Prevention Day/ – Sept. 10
- Programmer’s Day – Sept. 12
- National Neonatal Nurses Day – Sept. 15
- National Working Parents Day – Sept. 16
- National IT Professionals Day – Sept. 17
- National Addiction Professionals Day – Sept. 20
- World Alzheimer’s Day – Sept. 21
- American Business Women’s Day – Sept. 22
- International Ataxia Awareness Day – Sept. 25
- National Food Service Employees Day – Sept. 25
- World Pharmacist Day – Sept. 25
- Human Resource Professional Day – Sept. 26
- World Heart Day – Sept. 29
October
- American Pharmacists Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Clergy Appreciation Month
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Health Literacy Month
- Healthy Lung Month
- Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
- National Bullying Prevention Month
- National Chiropractic Health Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- National Liver Awareness Month
- National Orthodontic Health Month
- National Physical Therapy Month
- National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
- Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
- Emergency Nurses Week – Oct. 6-12
- Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week – Oct. 6-12
- Mental Illness Awareness Week – Oct. 6-12
- National Health Care Supply Chain Week – Oct. 6-12
- National Physician Assistant Week – Oct. 6-12
- Customer Service Week – Oct. 7-11
- National Dialysis Technician Recognition Week – Oct. 7-12
- Sterile Processing Week – Oct. 13-19
- National Health Care Facilities and Engineering Week – Oct. 20-26
- International Infection Prevention Week – Oct. 20-26
- National Pharmacy Week – Oct. 20-26
- National Respiratory Care Week – Oct. 20-26
- Red Ribbon Week – Oct. 23-31
- World Cerebral Palsy Day – Oct. 6
- Emergency Nurses Day – Oct. 9
- National Depression Screening Day – Oct. 10
- World Mental Health Day – Oct. 10
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day – Oct. 13
- Global Handwashing Day – Oct. 15
- National Pharmacy Technician Day – Oct. 15
- Boss’s Day – Oct. 16
- World Spine Day – Oct. 16
- National Mammography Day – Oct. 18
- World Osteoporosis Day – Oct. 20
- International Stuttering Awareness Day – Oct. 22
- National Medical Assistants Day – Oct. 23
- World Occupational Therapy Day – Oct. 27
November
- American Diabetes Month
- National COPD Awareness Month
- Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
- Gastric Cancer Awareness Month
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
- Mouth Cancer Action Month
- National Adoption Month
- National Epilepsy Awareness Month
- National Family Caregivers Month
- National Healthy Skin Month
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
- National Marrow Awareness Month
- Prematurity Awareness Month
- Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
- National Allied Health Week – Nov. 3-9
- National Diabetes Education Week – Nov. 3-9
- National Patient Transport Week – Nov. 3-9
- National Radiologic Technology Week – Nov. 3-9
- Nurse Practitioner Week – Nov. 10-16
- Perioperative Nurse Week – Nov. 10-16
- GERD Awareness Week – Nov. 24-30
- World Radiography Day – Nov. 8
- International Accounting Day – Nov. 10
- World Pneumonia Day – Nov. 12
- World COPD Day – Nov. 13
- Operating Room Nurse Day – Nov.14
- World Diabetes Day – Nov. 14
- National Educational Support Professionals Day – Nov. 20
- Great American Smokeout – Nov. 21
- National Adoption Day – Nov. 23
- Computer Security Day – Nov. 30
December
- Give the Gift of Sight Month
- National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
- Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week – Dec. 1-7
- National Influenza Vaccination Week – Dec. 1-7
- National Handwashing Awareness Week – Dec. 2-8
- World AIDS Day – Dec. 1
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Dec. 3
