Hospital Chaplain

The Role of the Hospital Chaplain: The University of Chicago Medical Center

Some hospital presidents and administrators reading this book are considering integrating a Department of Spiritual Care into their health care delivery system. Such a consideration is timely, appropriate and on target for the simple reason that the human person is made up of body, soul, and spirit. To treat one and leave the other two is an inadequate health care to the patient. In other words, I am highly recommending holistic integral care. A brief definition of holism (Holistic or holism is the belief that anything natural is in some way related to everything and that each natural creation, such as a person, is a whole, which is more important than the parts that

Sharon Barcham, a certified professional staff chaplain at the University of Chicago Medical Center on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 gave a brilliant presentation at an Interdisciplinary meeting and I wish to share excerpts from the presentation about the Role of the Chaplain. Sharon in her introductory lines says “As Chaplains in the Spiritual Care Department we are full members of the healthcare team who provide for the emotional, spiritual and psychological needs of patients, families, staff and volunteers. Specifically, through professional training and certification, we assist patients and often times their families to understand more fully life’s events as they relate to their spiritual and emotional well-being. From the patient’s life experience, we offer pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, prayer and

Providing information and guidance regarding Medical Ethical decisions, and other questions that may surface within the time spent here. Grief Ministry/Counseling are offered for those who are searching for the meaning of the most often asked question, “Why me?” And this question is often on the minds and hearts of many of our patients and we are very privileged to journey with them and their loved ones during their time here at the University of Chicago Medicine. Some patients are here for a longer stay than others and often times they will have more than a few admissions during the course of their medical care. Because of the frequency and/or longer stays for some patients we have the opportunity to process, when invited, the contents of their minds and hearts. And in many cases, to offer assistance to patients and families in making good decisions for themselves and their loved