Liz Kowalczyk reports for The Boston Globe: "More patients are seeking spiritual guidance from chaplains."

In this photo, The Rev. George Winchester, chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said a prayer for Sara Meaney of Topsfield. Winchester said he is often called in to translate “doctor speak’’ for patients. (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Kowalczyk writes:

• There is a growing belief that providing for spiritual needs increases patient and family satisfaction and may even provide medical benefits. Doctors and nurses are so busy, and chaplains can fill the void, gleaning information they pass on to the medical team. Winchester said he sometimes senses a family moving away from aggressive care for their loved one and toward comfort measures only, which he then relays to providers.

• Since 2004, requests for chaplains at the Brigham have jumped 23 percent. At Massachusetts General Hospital, requests have grown 30 percent since the hospital began tracking visits in 2006. And at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which expanded its pastoral care program last year, monthly visits are expected to rise to at least 540 this month, a 10-fold increase over the same time last year.

• The Brigham has significantly increased its chaplaincy staff in the past six years and now requires chaplains to respond to all trauma cases along with the medical staff. The hospital also started a residency program to train chaplains and compassionate care rounds, “tea for the soul’’ and other programs for staff to talk about caring for terminally-ill patients.

Spiritual care through compassionate listening, spiritual direction, and spiritual guidance is on the rise. Are you called to respond, and perhaps offer "tea for the soul" to others? Or, do you seek spiritual guidance? Consider helping others learn about the ministry and service of spiritual direction by talking to your local hospital, and learning what is occuring in your community. Spiritual Directors International offers many educational resources at www.sdiworld.org. 

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