The History of Hospital Week

Hospitals are a tower of strength in every neighborhood. They are the driving force to a healthy and positive community. Hospitals provide more than care and treatment, they give comfort, hope and joy. Every day hospital employees are on the frontlines working tirelessly to save lives and help others in their greatest time of need. National Hospital Week highlights the important and selfless work of health care workers across the U.S. and gives us all an opportunity to say thank you.  

For the past 67 years, hospitals across the country have come together to celebrate the history, technology and dedicated professionals that make our facilities beacons of confidence and care. National Hospital Day was created in 1921 as a way to encourage trust in hospitals in the wake of the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918. It was later turned into a week in 1953, coinciding with Florence Nightingale’s birthday to honor her role in revolutionizing hospital care in the mid-1800's.

Today, it is the nation’s largest health care event. This year, National Hospital Week will be celebrated May 10 through May 16. The theme is, ‘Where Health Comes First,’ a tribute to hospitals and health care providers and the innovative ways they support the needs of their community through programs or services that put health first.

At Moffitt Cancer Center, we are proud to serve our patients by offering high-quality care and cutting-edge research, and we work tirelessly to advance cancer treatment and prevention. In 2019, we saw more than 68,000 patients and have more than 200 clinical trials available for our patients. But none of this could be accomplished without the dedicated individuals that serve our institution every day.

This Hospital Week we thank our devoted team members for not backing down from a challenge and following their dreams. Thank you for your dedication to the health and well-being of our patients at the cancer center.