HealthCare Chaplaincy Network recently awarded its prestigious “Excellence in Spiritual Care” award to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital, Dover, and Bayhealth Milford Memorial Hospital, Milford. The hospitals are the first in the state to receive this distinction after meeting HCCN’s proprietary national quality standards.
According to the group, the award signifies that the hospitals are committed to optimally addressing patients’ spiritual and religious needs. HCCN identified the standards based on professional literature and its 55-year history as a leader in spiritual-related clinical care, education, and research.
A growing body of research demonstrates the positive impact of spiritual care, including improved quality of life and patient satisfaction scores.
“It is a great honor to receive the Excellence in Spiritual Care Award,” said Bayhealth CEO Terence M. Murphy, FACHE. “This recognition exemplifies our organization’s commitment to providing patients and staff with a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to healing and wellness. Chaplain [T. Blake] Bowers and the other members of our Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy Services Department should be especially proud of this achievement.”
Rev. Eric J. Hall, Health Care Chaplaincy CEO, said he is delighted to count the two hospitals among the institutions that have successfully passed its evaluation process. “Achieving the Excellence in Spiritual Care Award reflects the value a health care setting places on the spiritual aspect of whole-person care,” Hall said. “Bayhealth clearly has made such a commitment, helping to improve quality of life for patients and their families, and the staff at the hospitals.”
Bayhealth employs a full-time chaplain who manages the Pastoral Care Department, which includes one part-time chaplain, and coordinates the on-call chaplain and Pastoral Care Volunteer Programs. On-call clergy and lay pastoral care volunteers represent more than 40 congregations from Smyrna to Bridgeville.
During times of crisis, loss and grief, visits to patients and family members are available 24 hours a day to provide emotional and spiritual support and comfort. Assistance with religious rituals such as scripture, prayer and the Sacraments, as well as weekly chapel services, are available at both hospitals for patients, family members, and Bayhealth staff, a release stated.
The Delaware hospitals join nine other hospitals and one hospice in five other states that have earned the award since June 2015;.
HealthCare Chaplaincy Network is a global health care nonprofit organization that offers spiritual-related information and resources,
