Understanding and Applying the Ethical and Religious Directives for Physicians

Designed for individual and group learning, this resource contains video and supporting educational materials to provide physicians with an understanding of the meaning and application of the ERDs in Catholic health care.

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Physician Leader Forum

This annual invitational meeting gathers physician leaders from across the country to support their vital role within Catholic healthcare. The event provides a valuable forum for physicians to engage in communal reflection about the sacred relationship between patient and physician and address timely issues affecting the health care ministry.

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Physicians: Partners in Mission

Ministry Initiatives in Physician Engagement

Nothing is as convincing as a life well lived where spirituality is integrated with professional competence to produce outstanding organizational and patient outcomes. Physicians who model the power of spirituality in their own lives can set the tone for compassionate, quality care. CHA is committed to providing a venue for the sharing of ministry practices in all areas of Catholic health care, including physician relations/spirituality.

Avera Health
Sioux Falls, S.D.

Avera Health has two new physician recruiting/orientation projects in the works. Both programs highlight the spiritual aspect of being a health care provider. Initiatives include:

Avera Mission: The Physicians' Perspective
The 18-minute film is being used for recruitment and orientation activities. In addition, it will be used at the facility level to generate discussion among physicians currently practicing medicine. It is expected that, through conversations sparked by the film, clinicians will assess how mission and spirituality are expressed at their facilities and explore how these aspects of workplace culture can be enhanced. The film includes commentary by clinicians inside and outside of Avera about Avera's mission.

The Physicians' Perspective (16:38)

Medical School Elective
An elective on spirituality and medicine is being developed for fourth-year medical school students. Plans call for the elective to include reading assignments, discussion, and the writing of papers. Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal will be among the reading materials. Physician visitors will share with the students their professional and personal experience with spirituality. The elective begin to introduce the spiritual aspects of practicing medicine to doctors early in their training. The hope is for the elective to be included in the University of South Dakota's curriculum in the near future.

For more information about Avera's initiatives, contact Robert Voglewede, senior vice president, mission services, Avera Health.