by Nick Jacobs

This is not the first time that I have written about the impact of access to religious or spiritual support for our patients during hospitalization. It is something about which I am passionate. This passion is not because of my personal religious zealot tendencies. It is because our basic philosophy is one of inclusiveness and existentialism in that there should be few if any limits as to the numbers and types of religious options that are made available to your patients, and, overall, we also embrace the philosophy that there should be no unreasonable limit to the availability of choices for patients when it comes to the type of modality or treatment philosophy that is available.

As often stated on this blog, it does not matter to me if our patients are brought closer to mental, physical or spiritual healing by pet, aroma, massage or music therapy; meditation, drumming circles or reiki. We don't care what the ingredient is that brings our patients closer to a cure, just that the healing environment gives them choices. Our labyrinths, walking trails and healing gardens provide just a few alternatives. Our 24 hour open visiting policy fits some, but not all patient families. The right to sleep in the same room with your loved one is a belief that we embrace to the point of having double beds in our OB suites and fold out beds in many of our patient rooms.

So, what about religion?

Recently featured on WebMD Medical News a piece on spiritual and religious doctors by Jennifer Warner which was reviewed by Louis Chang, MD agrees that religion and spirituality have a significant effect on a person's health. But doctors who themselves are religious or spiritual are more likely to see the impact of religion and spirituality on a patient’s health and believe it strongly influences their health.

It concludes by saying that consensus seems to begin and end with the idea that many if not most patients draw on prayer and other religious resources and overcome the spiritual challenges that arise in their illness.

Bottom line, if it works, don't limit access. Our wired world is not going to tolerate intolerance in any aspect of life, and, as we are exposed to truths that are effective all over the world, our decisions to reject them here in the United States will be questioned, as well they should.

Move on; open your mind, your eyes, your brain and your heart. We do not possess the definitive answers to every question. We are not the end all.