National Women Physicians Day, February 3, 2022, is a day to remember the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. On National Women Physicians Day, Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare are celebrating the courage of Dr. Blackwell and the accomplishments of women physicians nationwide.

We are honored to support each and every one of the women physicians at Ohio’s Hospice and its affiliates throughout the state of Ohio, as well as Pure Healthcare.

Relationship Building

Dr. Chirag Patel, chief medical officer of Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare, says that relationship building is one of the most critical functions of hospice and palliative medicine, irrespective of their identified gender.

“I have seen that certain patients and families gravitate to our women physicians,” Dr. Patel said. “They gravitate toward the kindness, expertise and experience found in our physicians who are women. This allows for rapid relationship building that is hard to break from once created as our patients and families see and feel the exemplary clinical skills our care team possesses.”

Role Models

The women physicians throughout the organization also serve as role models for staff, medical students, medical residents and fellows. “As an organization that believes strongly in medical education, to have such a great group of physicians who are women in our practice provides other women with great role models in our field,” Dr. Patel said. “They see the palpable impact our women physicians have on clinical outcomes and experience for our patients and their families.”

In his role, Dr. Patel works with women physicians throughout the organization. “Having many physicians who are women in leadership roles validates the importance I see in having their unique perspective in making practice decisions daily,” he said. “I deeply value their expertise, experience and approach to patient care.”

Talented Women Physicians

Anthony Evans, president of Pure Healthcare, explains that our physicians provide the skill, expertise, compassion, and leadership to guide our patients through very complex symptoms which they encounter on a daily basis. He describes our physicians as the “quarterback” of the hospice and palliative care teams at Pure Healthcare.

“Our physicians set the playbook, call the plays, and ensure that all the right team members are in place to achieve success for our patients and help them reach their goals,” he said. “We’re extremely fortunate to have so many talented women physicians providing this world-class care and leadership for our patients. “

Recognizing Women Physicians

At Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare, it is important to have a diverse group of clinicians, not only by gender, but in all aspects that make individuals unique.

“Today, on National Women Physicians Day, we are focusing on our physicians who are women. They are true pioneers in the hospice and palliative medicine field,” Dr. Patel said. “Many in our practice were the first to complete fellowships in hospice and palliative medicine and become board certified.”

A few of the organization’s women physicians have received national recognition for their trailblazing efforts in hospice and palliative medicine.

“We are proud of the fact that our women physicians have dedicated decades of their careers to provide superior care and superior services to patients and families throughout Ohio,” Dr. Patel said. “We appreciate their support our mission as we work together each and every day to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.”

Standard of Excellence and Leadership

The women physicians at Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare set a standard of excellence throughout the organization and in the hospice and palliative medicine field.

“It is important to recognize and thank the women physicians at Pure Healthcare because of the immeasurable impact they make on our patients,” Evans said. “They also set a positive example for healthcare providers in the hospice and palliative medicine field and the next generation of healthcare providers.

He says that strong role models are always important. “Now, more than ever, we need energetic, committed young physicians to choose a future in hospice and palliative care,” Evans said. “I believe our women physicians set a wonderful standard of excellence and leadership, which serves as a beacon of opportunity to the new talent which is sorely needed for future models of care.”