The Fidelis Care Blog

March 30 is National Doctors Day, a time to recognize physicians for their dedication, contributions, and service. At Fidelis Care, doctors play an instrumental role in helping to fulfill our mission of transforming the health of the community, one person at a time.

Fidelis Care thanks the doctors who help our members live healthier lives. As our partners in quality care, they work closely with our members every day to ensure their patients – our members – receive the care and services to live healthier lives.

We are also grateful for our exceptional team of medical directors, led by Chief Medical Officer Vincent Marchello, MD. Our medical directors enable Fidelis Care to provide expertise and professionalism in all facets of health care, from pediatrics to geriatrics – including specialties such as internal medicine, emergency medicine, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, plastic surgery, nephrology, and more.

“As we reflect on the dedication and service of doctors, I am reminded of a quote by William Osler, who was often referred to as the father of modern medicine," Dr. Marchello said. "Osler remarked, 'The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.' Whether our medical directors are reviewing member cases or looking at advances in treatment, they always recognize the impact their decisions have on the lives of our members.”

First commemorated in 1933 by Eudora Brown Almond to honor the contributions of local physicians in Barrow County, Georgia, March 30 was selected because that was the day in 1842 that Dr. Crawford W. Long, a Georgia physician, pioneered the use of ether as an anesthetic during surgery. On that first Doctors Day, cards were mailed to doctors and their family members, and flowers were placed on the graves of Dr. Long and other deceased physicians. Since then, in most communities and organizations, National Doctors Day is commemorated similarly, mostly with cards and other expressions of appreciation. The day was formalized by an act of Congress in 1991.

Given the many ways in which doctors have helped develop tests and treatments, inform their communities, care for patients, and lead through healthcare crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, we thank them and other health care professionals for all they have done and continue to do.