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For Release Wednesday,
27th March, 2002 |
CONTACT:
Bill Parizek |
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PHONE:850-245-4111
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Since 1991, March 30 has been set aside as a day when citizens of the United States show appreciation for the role of physicians in caring for the sick, advancing medical knowledge, and promoting good health. This day holds special meaning in our state thanks to the thousands of devoted physicians who volunteer their services to ensure that fellow Floridians might have access to healthcare services.
As we observe this day, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to the thousands of doctors who volunteer their services to Floridians through the Department of Health’s (DOH) statewide Volunteer Health Care Provider Program. For the last 10 years, they have selflessly provided care to those most in need, tirelessly working to make their communities healthier places to live. The volunteer network they have built, to provide care in their offices, clinics, hospitals and faith-based organizations throughout our state, serves as a model for the nation.
In the past year alone, doctors’ individual and collective efforts, along with other health care volunteers in Florida, resulted in over $85 million in donated medical treatment. The true impact on those they serve is incalculable. We know that their generosity has been life-saving for many patients and their families.
The efforts of these selfless individuals are a vital part of our department’s focus on community health. The overall effects of inadequate or absent healthcare are profound, and through volunteerism, these dedicated individuals provide a safety net of primary and specialty care for the most vulnerable Floridians.
Although these volunteer doctors serve without regard for recognition, they certainly deserve to be honored for their commitment to their profession and their dedicated service to others. They truly are Florida’s unsung heroes.
Anyone wanting more information on the Florida Department of Health’s Volunteer Health Care Provider Program can call 850-245-4104.
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