Harnessing the Power of Chaplaincy Through an Electronic Medical Record BARTHOLOMEW RODRIGUES, MDiv, MBA, BCC, WILLIAM VAUGHAN, MA, BCC, and JESSICA MOORE Catholic Health
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t has long been recognized that emotional and spiritual care plays an important role in one’s well-being. Professionals in spiritual care and chaplaincy services who work in health care settings receive academic preparations and clinical training for this specialized healing ministry. They are a vital part of the health care team who contribute to a patient’s overall health and wellness.
Nevertheless, the persistent stereotype of cated to spiritual care and enhance quality outa hospital chaplain is someone who sits, listens comes by improving communication and coordiand offers some philosophical platitudes to help nation in the delivery of patient care. ease the distress of a patient or client. However, there is more to it than simply “being present.” A TRANSITION TO TRANSFORM PATIENT CARE Evidence-based ministry requires demonstrat- Health care is evidence-based. Unless professioning how chaplaincy encounters help in the heal- als in spiritual care and chaplaincy services proing and recovery process and why these services vide evidence of the benefits of their work, it will must be established, maintained and integrated go unrecognized. An EMR is a place to record that into the total interdisciplinary health care contin- evidence. uum. Spiritual care and chaplaincy should be an important part of the ... the persistent stereotype of a clinical documentation process. hospital chaplain is someone who sits, To further advance an evidence-based approach to health listens and offers some philosophical care ministry for spiritual care and chaplaincy services, elecplatitudes to help ease the distress of tronic medical records (EMR) a patient or client. However, there is can be a helpful tool to document encounters, interventions and outmore to it than simply “being present.” comes. Done right, an EMR can harness the power of evidencebased health care chaplaincy through spiritual After nearly three years of due diligence, care assessments (including interventions and Catholic Health in Buffalo, New York, embarked on outcomes) and dashboards. Moreover, EMRs can an initiative to uniformly manage and implement serve as a platform to optimize resources allo- a new EMR system, using technology provided
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SUMMER 2022
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