Another example of the power of letter writing...

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

hhs responds to 'take a loved one to the doctor day' campaign name change suggestion

3/02/05

the united states department of health & human services is open to considering a name change to the annual "take a loved one to the doctor day" campaign held on the third tuesday of each september, according to a letter received by ana jan. 28.

in the letter, written by garth n. graham, acting deputy assistant secretary for minority health, to ana president barbara blakeney, graham noted, "exploring a new name for our campaign might well be a valuable change that health care providers and our public and private partners can embrace for the good of the communities we serve." graham further indicated that he has asked campaign working groups "to work diligently in exploring new names" for the 2005 campaign - "one that we can all be proud of for the betterment of the populations we serve."

blakeney had joined the center for nursing advocacy, a group dedicated to protecting the image of nurses and nursing, in writing to former hhs secretary tommy thompson asking for a formal name change to the campaign.

http://nursingworld.org/news/ananews.htm#garth