Celebrating National Medical Group Practice Week: Engaging ideas for leaders

National Medical Group Practice Week, observed annually in the fourth week of January, is an excellent opportunity for medical group practices to celebrate their achievements, engage with the community and reinforce their mission. This observance encourages healthcare teams to reflect on their contributions and connect meaningfully with fellow staff and patients.

Here are several specific ways medical group practice leaders can make the most of this celebratory week.

1. Celebrate your community involvement

Share a year-in-review highlighting how your group has positively impacted the community in the past year. This might include sponsorship of local health fairs, free screening events or charity drives for healthcare-related causes. Use email newsletters, social media posts or the practice’s website to showcase these contributions, complete with photos, testimonials and impact statistics. This recap not only brings attention to your practice's community involvement but also helps build a positive reputation and stronger patient connections.

2. Mission, vision, and values reminder

Take the time to remind your team and patients of your organization’s core values. Display these values prominently in the office, perhaps on posters or in a special newsletter. Leaders can hold a brief, informal meeting or luncheon where they share stories demonstrating how the team has embodied these principles. Publicly reinforcing your commitment to quality, integrity and patient-centered care deepens both staff and patient engagement.

• To help craft an updated MVV, download our member-benefit Step-by-Step Guide for Developing Mission, Vision, and Values.

3. Celebrate care milestones

Highlight significant achievements, such as the number of patients served, quality care metrics met or any awards the practice received. Consider using bulletin boards, social media or even short videos to share these milestones. Recognize individual team members who have gone above and beyond to ensure high-quality patient care. Recognitions such as these motivate staff and remind them of their important role in delivering exceptional healthcare.

4. Showcase growth in hiring and services

National Medical Group Practice Week is also an ideal time to announce new hires, expansions in service or technological advancements implemented over the past year. Feature these updates in a social media series or a blog post on your website, emphasizing how these additions enhance patient care and accessibility. Community awareness of such growth shows that your practice is dedicated to meeting evolving healthcare needs.

5. Engage with patients directly

Consider running patient appreciation activities, like a "thank you" day where patients receive a small token of appreciation, or organize educational seminars on topics such as preventive care and wellness. Hosting a Q&A session with providers can also foster a stronger connection between patients and the medical group.

Easy ways to build morale and engagement

Here are eight low-cost ways medical practice leaders can build morale and engagement during National Medical Group Practice Week:

• Public recognition board: Set up a “Wall of Appreciation” in a common area where staff can post notes recognizing each other's hard work and contributions. This boosts peer recognition and fosters a sense of community.
• CEO or leader "shout-outs": Send a daily email or post on an internal messaging platform with shout-outs to individual team members or teams for specific achievements. Personalized recognition from leadership can make staff feel valued.
• "Mission moment" stories: Share a daily story that highlights how the team has embodied the organization’s mission and values. These stories can be shared in brief staff huddles, emails or on bulletin boards to remind staff of the positive impact they make.
• Flexible dress code days: If appropriate, allow staff to wear something fun, such as team colors or themed attire (like “comfy day” or “superhero day”) to make the week feel special and build camaraderie.
• Team lunch or snack break: Organize a potluck where each team member brings a small snack, or provide coffee and treats to foster a moment for staff to relax and connect without a large financial outlay.
• Thank you notes from leadership: Leaders can personally write thank-you notes to each team member, recognizing their hard work and specific contributions. Personal, handwritten notes are meaningful and show genuine appreciation.
• Staff-generated "idea box": Set up a suggestion box where staff can contribute ideas for improvements or activities they'd enjoy during the week. Showing that their opinions matter helps employees feel more invested.
• End-of-week group photo or video: Conclude the week with a group photo or short video where everyone shares what they love about working there. This can be shared internally or on social media (with permission) to celebrate and reflect on the week together.

By celebrating National Medical Group Practice Week with these activities, leaders can inspire their teams, connect with the community and reinforce a collective commitment to high-quality, compassionate care.

Each of these initiatives serves to honor the dedication and hard work of medical group practices, strengthening relationships within the organization and with the community it serves.