God in Health Care

What they are saying at Medical Conferences

According to a Yahoo News article, a Boston, Massachusetts, researcher has found that spirituality appears to promote health. And medical doctors, he suggests, should be more in tune with their patients’ spiritual beliefs.

The findings are based on a review of literature and the presentation was made today at the 2001 Annual Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians. According to the literature studied, 94% of the American public believes in God or a “higher power,” and most claim that religion is “fairly” or ”very” important in their lives.

Interestingly, the study found that American medical doctors tend to be less likely to believe in God. According to a survey, only 64% of physicians reported a belief in God. Another study found that a large number of patients wanted their doctor to pray with them and it was pointed out that addressing patients’ spiritual beliefs can strengthen the doctor-patient relationship.

Chiropractor Richard Santo recently stated two important phrases to use in the office were, “The power that made the body – heals the body” and “I move the bone – God does the healing.” Your patients already believe it, maybe it’s time you said it.

Yahoo News: Docs Advised to Attend to Patients’ Spirituality