October 2008
25 posts
The Practice of Spirituality and the Practice of...
This was the title of a lecture I attended today at St. Mary’s College.
Harold G. Koenig, M.D., M.HSc. spoke about the relationship between spirituality and the practice of medicine. Here are my takeaways:
90% of people use religion in the process of dealing with crisis
Spiritual assessments are part of the Joint Commission Standards
Doctors usually don’t do spiritual...
September 2008
10 posts
“Some hospitals are embracing the purple color [bracelet] but skipping the “DNR”...”
– WSJ Health Blog : Should Patient Bracelets Announce End-of-Life Choices?
Next week, I will begin working with a group to craft a policy for using the “Allow Natural Death” (AND) terminology in one of our facilities. This will surely be an interesting project!
2009 AHA Environmental Scan →
I just learned of Hospitals and Health Networks last week.
This feature, an environmental scan of the healthcare industry, would be especially helpful to people entering the industry (like me).
How to talk to your doctor about God - CNN.com →
I appreciate how this article encourages the patient to take ownership of their spiritual needs when seeking healthcare.
Item #4 is especially relevant - cultural & religious competency is vital in quality healthcare institutions!
(thanks, Jackie!)
Post-Conference Wrap-Up
Upon my return to the hospital from the Prophetic Voice conference, I had a day slammed with meetings. There were two ethics committee meetings, a board of director’s sub-committee, and a community benefit council.
With a jarring return to my regular schedule, I needed a whole day to catch my breath and begin to reflect upon my time in St. Louis.
Here’s my top-five takeaways from the...
Prophetic Voice
Next week, I have the privilege of attending the Catholic Health Association’s Prophetic Voice program.
There are many things I look forward to:
Mission Leadership for Pastoral Care
The Mission Leader’s Role in Community Benefit
Lifelong Learning Inventory - Mission Leader Competencies for the Future (a self-assesment tool)
Meeting other Mission Leaders from around the country
...
Labor Day Weekend Movie Marathon
I had a little healthcare movie marathon during this holiday weekend.
These were movies that have been on my list to see for a long time and, unexpectantly, they had a common thread - healthcare.
In Lars and the Real Girl, the main character suffers from mental illness and his entire community comes together to help him heal.
The main characters of The Savages, a brother and sister, deal...