Doctors’ Day 2023 – a success story

Doctors’ Day flags were flying with pride and appreciation across Ontario on May 1

Recognizing Ontario's doctors Image

Recognizing Ontario's doctors

The 2023 campaign aimed to build further awareness of Doctors’ Day on May 1, a day to celebrate and express thanks to Ontario’s doctors. This was our fourth annual campaign which included paid and organic social media, billboards, landmarks lit blue, and new this year, in-person events across Ontario with flag raising ceremonies.

Read the full OMR story

The flag

Our specially designed Doctors’ Day thank you flag was revealed on May 1 in community flag raisings, on highly visible billboards across the province and on the campaign website, doctorsday.ca. These billboards achieved nearly three million paid media impressions. 

We've raised a flag in honour of Ontario's Doctors

The digital campaign

In the two weeks leading up to Doctors’ Day, we engaged Ontarians in a digital campaign asking them to show their appreciation for Ontario’s doctors by picking from a selection of virtual flags of thanks and sharing them on social media. Thanks to Ontarians across the province, over 6,000 flags were selected with more than 800 heartfelt messages received.

Events and earned media

Flag-raising events took place in 19 municipalities across Ontario, with some ceremonies attended by municipal officials, OMA representatives and health-care advocates. In addition, seven communities read proclamations honouring Ontario’s doctors. The OMA team successfully engaged media across the province and earned news coverage of Doctors’ Day from 18 different outlets, garnering an estimated 50,616,705 impressions.

Twelve high profile landmarks, including the CN Tower, Toronto sign, Welland bridge and Burlington pier, were lit blue on May 1 in appreciation for Ontario’s doctors.

Roche Canada Pharma VP Medical & Regulatory Affairs, Dr. Kohli and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward raise a flag in Burlington for Doctors' Day
CN Tower lit up blue for Doctors' Day
Kitchener flag raising with District 3 Chair Dr. Schieck and Mayor Berry Vrbanovic
Immediate Past President Dr. Rose Zacharias at Toronto City Hall with Chris Moise, city councillor and Dr. de Villa, medical officer of health & Dr. Salamon, OMA District 11 past chair
Mississauga City Hall with Mayor Bonnie Crombie and OMA President-Elect Dr. Dominik Nowak
Vice Mayor Grimaldi led a flag-raising ceremony proclaiming May 1st as Doctors' Day in the City of Welland

Photo credits: @RocheCanada, @TourCNTower, @City of Welland

Local CTV outlets attended flag-raising ceremonies in London, Sudbury, and Kitchener to interview incoming OMA President Dr. Andrew Park and District Chairs Drs. Rayudu Koka and David Schieck. Each outlet ran web stories as well as reports on their 6 o’clock newscast. 

Highlights from Doctors’ Day 2023 

  • #DoctorsDay was trending at the No. 2 position on Twitter in Ontario and Canada 
  • Health Minister Sylvia Jones tweeted a video of gratitude for physicians on Doctors’ Day 
  • Eighteen media outlets featured coverage of Doctors’ Day, garnering an estimated 50,616,705 impressions 
  • Doctors’ Day was mentioned in the media 243 times 
  • Local media attended ceremonies in Sudbury, Kitchener, London, Sault Ste. Marie and Orillia 
  • President Andrew Park gave three media interviews and immediate past president Dr. Rose Zacharias spoke to eight media outlets 
  • Zacharias appeared on CP24’s noon show speaking about current issues physicians are facing 
  • District Chairs Drs. Rayudu Koka and David Schieck were interviewed by local CTV news outlets 
  • Doctors’ Day tweets and articles were shared by health system stakeholders and hospitals, including CPSO, CMPA, the Ontario Long Term Care Association, CHEO, London Health Sciences and Niagara Health