Take It From the Experts: Here’s How To Thank a Doctor

To the mom, the dad, the sister, the brother, the child – or the couple praying for one: Chances are likely there’s a doctor you admire.

Maybe it’s the one who brought your baby safely into the world after a roller coaster of a pregnancy. The one who caught your cancer early and held your hand through that first treatment. The one who made you feel like yourself again and high-fived you when you lost the weight. The one who fixed your broken heart. The one who cried with you when the news was really good – or too difficult to bear.

So, how do you thank a doctor who means the world to you? Here’s what some of our providers had to say:
 

“The best thank-you is always a heartfelt note. Notes take time. They require thought. I always appreciate it when someone takes the time out of their busy day to let me know how I impacted their life. Those notes keep you going on the days when it seems like everything you do is wrong and no one is getting better – or in my world, achieving pregnancy. The baby pictures are great, too!”
– Reproductive endocrinologist Meghan Oakes, MD, Methodist Hospital Reproductive Health Specialists

“I am often surprised and gratified when the patient thanks me for coming in to see them in the hospital. Sometimes it’s because they’re not aware that I make hospital rounds, but mostly I’m surprised because I just startled them awake before 6 a.m. to poke and prod and sometimes deliver bad news. Despite that, they’re still appreciative. It’s often the most genuine and honest thank-you I receive.”
 – Internist David Stearnes, DO, Methodist HealthWest
 

“The best thank-you from a patient is when they communicate to me and the health system that my care has met and exceeded their expectations.”
– Electrophysiologist Joseph Ayoub, MD, Methodist Physicians Clinic

“Just a good old-fashioned note means the most to me.”
– OB/GYN Nicole Dix, DO, Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center
 

“I absolutely love to get postcards from my patients postoperatively! It makes me so happy to see them out enjoying life on a trip somewhere fun.”
– Cardiothoracic surgeon Helen Merritt, DO, Methodist Physicians Clinic

“It really is the little things that make me feel appreciated. Just the sincere thank-you in the room or even seeing a family back visit after visit. Having a family want me to see their new baby always makes me feel good. It’s gratifying to know a parent trusts and appreciates me enough to care for their child over the years. When a patient or parent takes the time at the end of a visit to say thanks, that means a lot to me.”
– Pediatrician Hailey Timm, MD, Methodist Physicians Clinic
 

“The best compliment I get from a patient is when they refer their friends and family to me because they have been so happy with their own results. It makes me happy to know that they trust us to take care of their loved ones.”
– Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Katie Honz, MD, Methodist Physicians Clinic

“This past year, a patient of mine lost her child. It was after multiple surgeries and an extended hospital stay for complex congenital heart disease. She stopped by our office to get a hug and thank us in person despite her loss. I was surprised that she took the time to come and see us during such a difficult time. She was appreciative that we prepared her around 20 weeks of pregnancy about the outcome of this condition. It touched my heart.”
– Maternal-fetal medicine specialist Hemant Satpathy, MD, Methodist Hospital Perinatal Center
 

“If they have the financial means, donate to the Foundation in order to keep the good things going and improve upon what we have. If they don’t have finical means, I appreciate cards and letters.”
– Head and neck surgical oncologist Robert Lindau, III, MD, Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center