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The Business of Health Care Report
Today, it's my pleasure to
introduce Steve Mason, senior executive vice president and chief operating
officer of Texas Health Resources. STEVE: Thank you, Doug.
Recently, Texas Health Resources conducted research with staff, physicians,
patients and clergy to learn what role spirituality plays in health care and
how faith-based hospitals can best serve patients' spiritual needs. The results confirmed that
Texas Health Resources' hospitals express spirituality in many ways - both
inside and outside hospital walls. In addition to having chaplains and chapels
at every hospital, the system emphasizes service to others through its domestic
violence prevention initiative and involvement with community councils to solve
local health problems. A commitment to diversity and
valuing differences, especially in terms of providing culturally specific care,
also speaks directly to treating more than just the physical needs of patients. Texas Health Resources'
Spirituality and Health Council has developed a list of faith-based characteristics.
Among these are caring for patients out of a commitment to faithfulness, compassion
and respect, collaborating with area clergy to attend to patients' religious and
spiritual needs, and respecting the many religious and spiritual traditions of
patients, employees and physicians. Research participants were asked
for their reaction to several phrases that addressed being a faith-based organization.
The phrase that rang true for most was "caring for the whole person - body, mind and
spirit." This simple statement captures Texas Health Resources' rich faith-based
heritage. The research further revealed that
patients expect a higher level of caring when they are treated at a faith-based hospital.
Texas Health Resources embraces this opportunity - keeping the whole person at the
forefront of caregivers' minds. For Texas Health Resources
and its family of hospitals - Harris Methodist Hospitals, Presbyterian
Healthcare System and Arlington Memorial Hospital - I'm CEO
Doug Hawthorne
with "The Business of Health Care Report" on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD.
©
2003 Texas Health Resources |
I'm Doug Hawthorne, President and CEO of Texas Health Resources, with
"The Business of Health Care Report" on 