August 2008
16 posts
The Honeymoon Is Over
These are the words of my supervisor, spoken with a sly grin. I’ve just completed one month of my fellowship and she wants me to know that the intensity of my work will begin to increase.
Getting comfortable in the hospital setting was the key objective for my first few weeks. Now that I’ve found the water-cooler, the copying machine and the closest staff restroom, I will be assigned...
July 2008
18 posts
CBISA?
Either: Community Benefits Inventory for Social Accountability
Or: Conservation of Butterflies in South Africa
1 tag
Bishop explains Catholic position in response to... →
A good friend (and orthopedics resident) recently experienced a similar situation.
Respecting the conscience of others is often a difficult thing - especially when you might strongly disagree.
Forty Years & Forty Fights
Biblically speaking, the number 40 brings many things to mind:
Moses and the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years
Noah taking refuge in the ark for 40 days and nights of rain
Jesus fasting for 40 days and 40 nights
All of these images include a long time of trial and difficulty. This could also be said of the Church’s reaction to Humanae Vitae.
Today, 25 July, happens to be...
Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend - Sneak... →
My hospital is building a brand new hospital building (set to open at the end of 2009).
Looking around, I found that a new Catholic hospital is opening up in Oregon - Sacred Heart, a member of PeaceHealth.
Click the above link for an interesting video on Healing Artwork.
And, find out more about Evidence-Based Art at The Center for Health Design.
Blogging About Apple Pays Better Than Practicing... →
I’m (probably) not going to quit health care mission to blog full time.
8)
Should a surgeon be punished for wrong-side... →
Paul Levy’s continuing conversation on the recent wrong-side surgery at BIDMC.
“E922.5 - Accident caused by paintball gun
Coding sounds like more fun than I...”
– Injured By a Spacecraft? There’s a Diagnostic Code for That
Catholic Hospitals Betray Mission?
Those who work in Catholic health care have probably heard about a report released on Wikileaks entitled: Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals. In this report, a group of anonymous whistleblowers analyzed data from the Texas Health Care Information Collection Center for Health Statistics and concluded that many immoral procedures were conducted by Catholic sponsored...
Flood Assessment Update
My trip to visit Iowa City and Cedar Rapids to assess flood damage was amazing. I experienced first-hand the devestation that a flooding river can bring.
I can report that all of my goals were met:
I helped to deliver 27 “flood buckets” and gift cards donated by a few northern Indiana Episcopalian parishes.
I assisted in the rebuilding effory by tearing down some drywall at a flood...
Today and tomorrow, I will be traveling to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Iowa.
I’ve got a few goals for the trip:
Help deliver supplies to flood victims
Assist in cleaning / rebuilding / recovery efforts
Learn how to do an on-site community needs assessment
Brainstorm ideas for how my hospital can further contribute to the recovery efforts
“I’m secretly scared that working in a hospital will not be like an episode...”
Running a hospital: The message you hope never to... →
This is a sad story.
However, I am very impressed with the quick reaction from Paul Levy and Kenneth Sands. Talking about transparency is one thing, but living it is another.
The BIDMC Community has set the bar high.
Tracking chaplains' work improves and justifies... →
In my experience of pastoral work (at the parish level), there is an instinct to avoid quantifying what you do.
My classic example - In an 800 family parish, I ran a weekly bible study. At most, three people attended the program. From a Cost-Benefit Analysis, one could easily argue that my time would have been better spent elsewhere. My justification was that if I could help just one person...
“It helps now and then to step back
And take the long view.
The Kingdom is not...”
– Abp. Oscar Romero
