Developing a Team Approach for Whole Person Care

1. Developing a Team Approach for Whole Person Care Dan Fountain, M.D. Sherry O’Donnell, D.O. GMM - Appendix

2. Importance • Care for mind, soul, and spirit takes time and training • No one can adequately do it all • All dimensions of care should be readily available • Ideally under one roof and without financial barriers

3. Health personnel pyramid Physicians, Nurses, etc Prof. Technicians,LPNs, Auxiliary Volunteers Lay helpers

4. Psycho-spiritual personnel pyramid Psychiatrists, PhDs Prof. Counselors Licensed Need to fill No one

5. Primary level of psycho-spiritual care • This is the level we must fill • The entry level • In providers’ offices • In the clinic, O.P.D., emergency room • People trained to listen, encourage, and offer spiritual care

6. The caregiving team • Health professionals • Pastoral caregivers in some cases • Volunteer spiritual caregivers • Whole staff and administration • Pastoral support in the community • Intercessory groups

7. Why train lay people? • Many are available and want to help • They are volunteers • They can be excellent listeners and supporters • They have time • Most people with heart burdens do not need professional help • They need a listening ear

8. What do we call them? • Spiritual caregivers • Lay ministers • Patient advocates • You may prefer another term

9. Qualifications • Personal relationship with Jesus • Good knowledge of the bible • A call from God to help hurting people • Spiritual maturity • Right attitudes – compassion, sincerity, humility, willingness to sacrifice • Ability to maintain confidentiality

10. Recruitment • From area churches • Initial approach is to pastors and church leaders. Their support is critical • Personal application form • Pastoral recommendation form • Personal contact or interview can help

11. Training involved • Health professionals must be trained • Up to four hours in wholeness, the centrality of Jesus in healing, how to discern ‘heart’ problems, how to refer to SCGs, how to pray with sick persons, team dynamics • Attendance at a METS conference or the Saline Solution can help • Doctors not trained in this approach hinder the process

12. Training of spiritual caregivers • 28 to 24 hours of interactive and participatory training • God, Medicine, and Miracles for background reading • Helping Hurting People as training manual

13. Staff orientation • The whole staff should be aware of this approach • They need to demonstrate compassion, empathy, gentleness, a desire to help • A few may give care themselves • Some of them may need care

14. Who to refer for spiritual care? • Psychosomatic complaints • Cardio-vascular disease • Diabetes • Chronic pain syndromes • Chronic digestive, resp, infectious diseases • Auto-immune diseases • Malignancies; liver disease • Any with heavy stress or inner burdens

15. Making the bridge • Health staff are first to see sick people • They can then refer people to SCGs • Some people resist personal and spiritual care – “Is it all in my head?” • They resist taking personal responsibility in dealing with their illness

16. Overcoming resistance • Explain what medical science now knows about the influence of personal issues in health and healing • Use Proverbs 14 : 30 • Use simple examples: what sudden fear does to pulse, stomach, sweat glands, etc

17. Making the introduction • Ideally the health provider should take the sick person to the SPG and make a brief introduction • This helps establish the caring relation • It shows the sick person the importance of this aspect of care

18. A counseling room • A special private place is important • Should be near the clinical area • Caregivers, when unoccupied, can be in the waiting area or with staff

19. Regular contacts • Between health and spiritual caregivers • To discuss results, problems, and particular situations • Spiritual caregivers are under the supervision of the professional staff

20. Coordination • Any volunteer group needs a coordinator • To make schedules, changes, and assure communication • To give regular encouragement • This can be a staff person • It can be one of the volunteers • Coordinator should be available for prayer • Prayer is essential for success and fruit

21. Keeping records • SCGs may keep a short note of each contact for future personal reference. • The only official record should be: seen by a SCG on ……date • Good to keep a register of all who receive spiritual care

22. Confidentiality • SCGs needs to be well informed of this • Any breach should be handled immediately • A confidentiality form should be signed

23. Other aspects • Bibles to give away • Other helpful literature • A list of other available social support services in the community • A list of churches that can be suggested

24. Observational research • An ideal situation for seeing the effects of spiritual care on various conditions • We need to document the effectiveness of spiritual care • A carefully designed protocol is necessary • Can provide evidence for the importance of spiritual care

25. Importance of intercession • Regular prayer with staff • Regular prayer with spiritual caregivers • Prayer support in churches of staff and caregivers • Perhaps a special intercessory group • This is spiritual warfare

26. Legal aspects • Consult with legal advisors • Possibility of establishing a separate legal entity without assets • Have a clear mission statement available for all to see: “This is a Christian clinic……..”

27. Culture war • Spirituality is for church, not the clinic • You can’t bring Jesus into the clinic • It is unethical to share your faith with a sick person • You can only help them with their spirituality

28. How should we respond? • This approach is evidence-based • External religion and internal faith have positive effects on health and healing • The approach is patient-directed • We offer spiritual care and pursue it only with those who are interested

29. Discussion • How do you see this fitting into your situation? • Discuss with others and share ideas • What steps do you foresee taking in strategic planning for this?