HealthCare Chaplaincy Names First ‘Excellence in Spiritual Care Award’ Recipient
New York, NY (PRWEB) September 09, 2015 -- HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) recently named Hospital for Special Surgery in New York as the first recipient of the nonprofit organization’s “Excellence in Spiritual Care Award."
The award signifies that Hospital for Special Surgery is committed to optimally addressing the spiritual and religious needs of its patients and their families, and that it has met HCCN’s proprietary Standards of Excellence in Spiritual Care.
HCCN identified the 15 standards based on professional literature and its extensive 54-year history as a leader in spiritual-related clinical care, education and research. Institutions undergo a detailed review process to qualify for the award. Standards include employing an interdisciplinary approach to spiritual care; engaging in quality improvement projects; and the strategic deployment of chaplaincy care resources.
“It is with great pride that we recognize Hospital for Special Surgery, a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation, as the country’s first Excellence in Spiritual Care Award recipient. This award signifies the hospital’s commitment to spiritual care as a vital component of whole person care,” said Rev. Eric J. Hall, HCCN’s president and CEO.
In establishing the Excellence in Spiritual Care Award, Hall said, “The award is designed to encourage and challenge health care facilities nationwide to move spiritual health to the top of their priority list. The delivery of spiritual care should meet standards of excellence just like other aspects of health care in order to improve the patient experience and quality of life.”
In accepting the award at a ceremony this summer, Hospital for Special Surgery’s president and CEO, Louis A. Shapiro, said, “We know that many of our patients’ spiritual and religious needs are as important as their physical ones, making chaplaincy fundamental to the hospital’s pursuit of health care excellence. I would like to thank the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network for this award and for inspiring us all to continue to integrate spiritual care into our health care practices for the comfort and benefit of all who choose HSS as their leading orthopedic and rheumatology hospital.”
Currently, other hospitals and health care settings in various parts of the country are undergoing evaluation for this prestigious award. As part of the process, HCCN specialists identify areas in an institution’s spiritual care program in need of improvement, provide consultation to achieve goals, and assist in more fully integrating chaplaincy services into its overall health care delivery.
HCCN’s introduction of the Excellence in Spiritual Care Award aligns with a growing body of research demonstrating the positive impact of spiritual care, including overall patient satisfaction and better patient quality of life near death. To view infographics on the value of chaplaincy, visit http://www.hccninfographics.org.
About HealthCare Chaplaincy Network
HealthCare Chaplaincy Network is a global health care nonprofit organization that offers spiritual-related information and resources, and professional chaplaincy services in hospitals, other health care settings, and online. Its mission is to advance the integration of spiritual care in health care through clinical practice, research and education in order to increase patient satisfaction and help people faced with illness and grief find comfort and meaning—whoever they are, whatever they believe, wherever they are. For more information, visit http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org, call 212-644-1111, and connect with us on twitter and Facebook.
Carol Steinberg, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org, +1 (212) 644-1111 Ext: 121, [email protected]
Share this article