Throughout the year, health observances raise awareness for a variety of conditions and remind consumers to stay on top of their health. Hospitals, healthcare nonprofits, patients, media outlets, and even influencers celebrate these days, weeks, and months.
Check out Healthgrades’ list of 2023 Health Observances below:
January 2023
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Leprosy Day 2022 | January 29 |
February 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week | February 7 – 14 |
| Heart Failure Awareness Week | February 12 – 18 |
| Sepsis Survivor Week | February 12- 18 |
| National Condom Week | February 14 – 21 |
| National Eating Disorder Awareness Week | February 20 – 26 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Cancer Day 2022 | February 4 |
| National Wear Red Day 2022 | February 3 |
| Give Kids A Smile ® Day | February 3 |
| National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day | February 7 |
| Toothache Day 2022 | February 9 |
| National Donor Day | February 14 |
| National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day | February 22 |
| Rare Disease Day 2023 | February 28 |
March 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week | March 12-18 |
| Patient Safety Awareness Week | March 12-18 |
| National Sleep Awareness Week | March 12-18 |
| National Poison Prevention Week | March 19-25 |
| Brain Awareness Week | March 13-19 |
| National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week | March 20-26 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Birth Defects Day | March 3 |
| National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day | March 10 |
| World Kidney Day 2023 | March 9 |
| World Sleep Day | March 17 |
| National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day | March 20 |
| World Oral Health Day | March 20 |
| World Down Syndrome Day | March 21 |
| World Tuberculosis Day | March 24 |
| American Diabetes Alert Day | March 28 |
| Epilepsy Awareness – Purple Day | March 26 |
| National Doctors’ Day | March 30 |
Relevant Articles
April 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Public Health Week – Healthiest Nation 2023 | April 3-9 |
| Black Maternal Health Week | April 11-17 |
| Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week | April 16-22 |
| National Pediatric Transplant Week | April 23-29 |
| Pediatric Sepsis Week | April 18 – 24 |
| National Infertility Awareness Week | April 23-29 |
| Medical Laboratory Professionals Week | April 23-29 |
| World Immunization Week | April 24-30 |
| Every Kid Healthy Week | April 24-30 |
| Patient Experience Week | April 23 – 29 |
| National Infant Immunization Week | April 24-30 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Autism Awareness Day | April 2 |
| World Health Day 2022 | April 7 |
| National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day | April 10 |
| National Prescription Drug Take Back Day | April 29 |
| Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day | April 16 |
| World Hemophilia Day 2023 | April 17 |
| DNA Day 202 | April 25 |
| World Malaria Day 2022 | April 25 |
| World Day for Safety and Health at Work | April 28 |
May 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week | May 7-13 |
| National Physical Education and Sport Week | May 1-7 |
| Air Quality Awareness Week | May 1-6 |
| National Nurses Week | May 6-12 |
| National Hospital Week | May 7-13 |
| Maternal Sepsis Week | May 14-20 |
| Food Allergy Awareness Week | May 7-13 |
| National Women’s Health Week | May 14-20 |
| National Stuttering Awareness Week | May 7-13 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Asthma Day | May 2 |
| World Hand Hygiene Day | May 5 |
| International No Diet Day | May 6 |
| Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day | May 7 |
| National Women’s Checkup Day | May 8 |
| World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day | May 8 |
| National Student Nurses Day | May 8 |
| National School Nurse Day | May 10 |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day | May 12 |
| International Nurses Day | May 12 |
| National Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness | May 13 |
| World AIDS Vaccine Day 2022 | May 18 |
| HIV Vaccine Awareness Day | May 18 |
| National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day | May 19 |
| World Autoimmune/Auto-inflammatory Arthritis Day | May 20 |
| Don’t Fry Day | May 26 |
| National Senior Health & Fitness Day | May 24 |
| World No Tobacco Day | May 31 |
June 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| Men’s Health Week | June 12-18 |
| Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week | June 25-July 1 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Cancer Survivors Day | June 4 |
| World Brain Tumor Day | June 8 |
| Family Health and Fitness Day | June 10 |
| World Blood Donor Day | June 14 |
| Autistic Pride Day | June 18 |
| World Sickle Cell Day | June 19 |
| World Vitiligo Day | June 25 |
| National HIV Testing Day | June 27 |
Relevant Articles
July 2023
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Hepatitis Day | July 28 |
August 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Breastfeeding Week | August 1-7 |
| National Health Center Week | August 6-12 |
| OSHA’s Safe and Sound Week | August 14-20 |
| Contact Lens Health Week | August 20-26 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Lung Cancer Day | August 1 |
| International Overdose Awareness Day | August 31 |
September 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Suicide Prevention Week | September 10-16 |
| National Folic Acid Awareness Week | September 10-16 |
| Malnutrition Awareness Week | September 18-22 |
| Global ITP Awareness Week | September 25-30 |
| Falls Prevention Awareness Week | September 17-23 |
| Fungal Disease Awareness Week | September 18-22 |
| National Rehabilitation Awareness Week | September 18-24 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Sexual Health Day | September 4 |
| World Suicide Prevention Day | September 10 |
| World Sepsis Day | September 13 |
| National Celiac Disease Awareness Day | September 13 |
| National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day | September 18 |
| Get Ready for Flu Day | September 19 |
| World Alzheimer’s Day | September 21 |
| Sport Purple for Platelets Day | September 29 |
| World Lung Day | September 25 |
| Mesothelioma Awareness Day | September 26 |
| World Rabies Day | September 28 |
| National Women’s Health and Fitness Day | September 27 |
| World Heart Day | September 29 |
Relevant Articles
October 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| Mental Illness Awareness Week | October 1-7 |
| National Primary Care Week | October 1-7 |
| National PA Week | October 6-12 |
| Bone and Joint Health Action Week | October 12-20 |
| International Infection Prevention Week | October 15-21 |
| National Healthcare Quality Week | October 15-21 |
| National Health Education Week | October 15-21 |
| Red Ribbon Week | October 23-31 |
| Respiratory Care Week | October 22-28 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World Meningitis Day | October 5 |
| World Cerebral Palsy Day | October 6 |
| National Depression Screening Day | October 6 |
| World Mental Health Day | October 10 |
| International Day of the Girl | October 11 |
| Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day | October 13 |
| World Sight Day | October 12 |
| Global Handwashing Day | October 15 |
| National Latino AIDS Awareness Day | October 15 |
| World Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day | October 15 |
| World Food Day | October 16 |
| National Mammography Day | October 20 |
| World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day | October 19 |
| World Osteoporosis Day | October 20 |
| National Check Your Meds Day | October 21 |
| International Stuttering Awareness Day | October 22 |
| National Prescription Drug Take Back Day | October 28 |
| World Psoriasis Day | October 29 |
| World Hypophosphatasia Day | October 30 |
November 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Diabetes Education Week | November 5-11 |
| National Radiologic Technology Week | November 5-11 |
| National Nurse Practitioner Week | November 12-18 |
| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Awareness Week | November 19-25 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Diabetes Heart Connection Day | November 9 |
| World Pneumonia Day | November 12 |
| World Diabetes Day | November 14 |
| World Prematurity Day 2022 | November 17 |
| Great American Smokeout | November 16 |
| National Family Health History Day | November 23 |
December 2023
Weeks to Note:
| Event | Date |
| National Handwashing Awareness Week | December 4-8 |
| National Influenza Vaccination Week | December 4-8 |
Days to Note:
| Event | Date |
| World AIDS Day | December 1 |
| International Day of Persons with Disability | December 3 |
Relevant Articles
2023 Hospital Quality Awards Calendar
Between supply chain delays and record staffing shortages, health systems faced more than their fair share of hardship in 2022. With challenges expected to continue well into next year, it’s time to get strategic about how you celebrate your dedicated care teams, build patient trust, and maximize ROI – and it starts by making hospital quality a marketing priority.
Leverage your quality achievement to showcase your organization’s ongoing commitment to clinical excellence and remind the increasingly quality-conscious consumers in your community that top-of-the-line care is right at home.
Five opportunities to promote your dedication to quality in 2023*
- January 17 – America’s Best 50/100/250 Hospitals Awards + Specialty State Rankings
- March 14 – Patient Safety Excellence Award & Ratings + Outstanding Patient Experience Award
- May 9 – 2023 Outpatient Orthopedic Awards & Ratings
- October 24 – Specialty Excellence Awards & Ratings; 2024 Outpatient Orthopedic Awards & Ratings
- December 5 – Obstetrics & Gynecology Awards & Ratings
*Exact dates are subject to change.
And there’s no need to feel tied to Healthgrades awards and ratings cycle: from health awareness campaigns to community charity drives, there are plenty of opportunities to promote your quality achievement all year round! Plus, Healthgrades Hospital Quality Achievement licenses are good for at least a year, which means it’s not too late to start promoting your 2022 achievements.
Whether you’re looking to recruit and retain local talent or get an edge on the competition, the Healthgrades Hospital Quality Team is here to help you exceed your organization’s 2023 objectives. Connect with us today to discuss how you can promote your outstanding hospital quality and be the first to hear if you have any new achievements to license in 2023.
By Elizabeth Groux
Read MoreFor more information or to submit an awareness month or day for consideration, reach out to [email protected].
