Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity
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Grand Canyon University: HLT-302
January 6, 2020
Professor Isaac Murton
Benchmark – Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity
Introduction
Health care is an essential aspect of every person’s life, regardless of the religion they follow. However, due to the various religious foundations, backgrounds, and beliefs, health care professionals are faced with the tough task of providing health care services in a way that aligns with their patients’ views. Shelly and Miller in the book ‘Called to Care’ offer an explanation of the term health. They state that health represents a state of well-being, which is socially defined, appreciated, and practiced. They add that it reflects the ability of the people (or groups) to execute their day to day activities in a culturally articulated, beneficial, and patterned lifestyle (Shelly & Miller, 2009). It is the responsibility of healthcare providers to ensure that they understand and respect the religious beliefs and ideas that affect their patients and family members to provide a holistic treatment to them. Arritt argues that understanding the rationale behind these beliefs is vital because it can impact the patient’s health plan (Arritt, 2014, p. 39). Christianity is one of the religions with a vast following worldwide. Christianity provides its followers with a perspective and framework for approaching healthcare based on God’s teachings in the Bible and Jesus’ message of love. Buddhism, as a religion and way of life, is also integrated with the workings of the healthcare system. According to Arritt (2014), nurses need a diverse cultural knowledge base to provide their clients with personalized patient-centered care. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the Christian and Buddhist views of health care based on three healthcare components, including provider care interactions, medical processes, and medical therapies. We will also discuss the common beliefs between these two religions and the essential factors patients consider when cared for by a person of a different faith.
Health Care Analysis with Comparison in Christianity
Over the last few decades, healthcare has evolved and taken the consumer-centered form. As a result, the patients are not only looking to get cured by their healthcare provider but to also have a beneficial patient-provider relationship. Even though every interaction is distinctly based on the needs of the patients, some common elements are crucial to constitute a positive patient-provider relationship. Empathy and value of human life are some of the foundations that contribute to this relationship. Research has shown that compassion leads to an increase in customer satisfaction no matter the outcome because of the connection it creates between the provider and the patient (Halpern, 2007). Another component that creates an excellent provider-patient relationship is the inclusion of patients in the decision-making process. Finally, health care providers agree that communication is the cornerstone of any positive patient-provider interaction. The concept of empathy is also a significant part of the foundation of Christianity. Jesus Christ taught in Matthew 7:12 that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The bible also values life as being sacred, and this is the premise upon which healthcare patient-provider relationships are founded. Every life is valuable, and so every life should be saved.
The healthcare system is based on several processes that guide how healthcare providers respond to their patients. One of the main methods emphasized by healthcare professionals is the use of prevention by keeping healthy according to Singh (2010). Providers agree with the famous saying that states, ‘prevention is better than cure. Bergman, Neuhauser, and Provost list some of the practices that doctors and nurses propose to help in the prevention of illnesses include physical exercises, proper hygiene, use of malaria bed nets, and a good diet, among others (Bergman et al., 2011). The use of these practices, together with engagement with the healthcare system, improves the individual’s health ad prevents future diseases. This aspect of prevention is also evident in Christian beliefs, where the teachings urge their followers to live a healthy life and shun earthly pleasures like smoking and drinking. Christianity treats the body as the temple of God, according to first Corinthians 6:19, and urges Christians to provide it with what it requires and avoid anything that may be harmful. 1 Timothy 4:8 highlights the importance of physical exercise.
For Healthcare providers to treat their diagnosed patients, they need to undergo medicinal therapies that target the specific illness suffered by the patients. These therapies include treatments, such as medication and diet changes, that impact on the individual’s physiological and biological processes. One of the most common forms of medicinal therapies is abortive Therapy. An abortive therapy is the treatment of headaches as soon as they start to avoid further suffering. Doctors provide medication to the patient with the goal and aim of restoring them to their optimal health. Although some sects may refuse some conventional medicines according to (Rumun, 2014), most Christians undergo these therapies to alleviate their suffering with the faith that God will heal them. Christians believe that God’s healing power comes to them through these medications, and they affirm that the doctors are guided by compassion and love for their patients.
Health Care Analysis with Comparison in (Buddhism)
Efficient and successful communication is another pillar that is pivotal in forging healthy patient-provider relationships in the healthcare system. Patient-provider communication is essential for the two parties to discuss the health status of the patient and the treatment method that the provider will prescribe according to (Allison, 2014). This communication is a tenet of the healthcare system because it ensures that the patient is getting the best care and also that the treatment is not in conflict with a person’s religious beliefs or practices. This premise of healthcare also gets emphasized by Buddhism. The patients ought to talk with their clergy before undergoing any form of treatment as per Paonil and Sringernyuang (2002). Because Buddhism does not offer a unified outlook on healthcare, providers are required to discuss with the patient and find out his/her religious views and beliefs before prescribing any treatment. This tenet is the basis of a healthy and positive patient-provider relationship.
Another crucial medical process involves the provision of a quality end of life to the patients. Treatment can be useful in combatting a specific illness while also being a negative force by reducing the quality of life of the patient in the last moments of their life (Bergman et al., 2011). Therefore, a holistic approach is a critical component of the healthcare system because it ensures that the medical needs of the patient get balanced with their need for a quality life. The healthcare system applies this approach to ensure that the healthcare processes are efficient not only in the treatment of the specific ailments but also to help in the prevention and improvement of the patient’s overall life. This holistic approach to healthcare is a belief that is also shared by the Buddhists. Buddhism believes in the concept of Karma as the cause of any misfortunes in a person’s life, including adverse health (Paonil & Sringernyuang, 2002). Therefore, they believe for the ailment to be ultimately defeated, a holistic approach that takes into account the lifestyle and habits of the patient. Quality end to life is also of importance to Buddhists. They believe that the person’s psychological status has an impact on the character they will assume after reincarnation. Therefore, to Buddhist patients, the quality end of life provided by the healthcare system is of utmost importance.
As discussed earlier, medical therapies are an essential aspect of the healthcare system. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a type of treatment that has divided the Health industry for decades. The rising popularity of this therapy has enhanced its integration with the practice of modern scientific medicine. Healthcare providers are offering the Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Healthcare insurance companies are covering the costs, and integrative care centers are getting established to ensure that the patients have the proper and complete treatment to alleviate their suffering. The healthcare system has recognized the role nutrition experts, massage therapists, yoga practitioners, meditation, and traditional alternative medicine play in providing a comprehensive treatment plan that touches on every aspect of their patient’s lifestyle. Due to their holistic view of life, Buddhists also embrace and champion the use of these alternative therapies. For example, Buddhism is a vegetarian religion and culture that stresses the importance of adopting a healthy diet. The Buddhists also believe in the connection between the mind and body. According to Kopel and Habermas (2019, p.308), many Buddhist meditation traditions emphasize self-awareness, detachment, and emotional balance. As such, practices such as meditation and yoga are essential for a Buddhist patient to ensure that the brain is healthy and robust enough to support the healing of the body.
What are common Beliefs Between these Religions in Spiritual components of Healing
Christianity and Buddhism both believe in the holistic approach to healthcare. Both religions recognize the role that spiritual and psychological health plays in enhancing physical well-being. The bible teaches us that God designed us to function as ‘whole persons’ with physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. Therefore, for a Christian to be holistically healthy, each aspect of their life needs to be taken care of, for example, proper nutrition to support the mind and body and meditation and faith to care for the spirit and mind. Although Buddhism does not believe in the soul, as stated by Harvey, Buddhists believe that every individual is born with a mind and body (2013). They believe that poor health is a result of bad karma accumulated in previous lives. Therefore, health and enlightenment can only get achieved when the individual’s mind and body are healthy. Buddhists endorse the use of practices such as yoga and meditation in the treatment of the mind to support the health of the body.
Another common belief between Christianity and Buddhism is the restrictions they place on medications. Although both religions rely on faith to heal them, they have no restrictions on any medication as long as it does not corrupt the mind for Buddhists and soul for Christians. However, they also agree that healthcare needs to balance between providing effective medication and a quality end of life for their patients.
Important to Patients of Faith When Cared for by Someone with a Different Faith
Taking care of patients across religious lines can be a challenging task for healthcare providers. One of the most significant factors that the healthcare personnel need to know is the sex of the patient. Different faiths have different views about the sex/gender of the providers that can care for them. For example, Buddhism and Christianity have reservations about a female provider performing certain medical operations on males, e.g., circumcision. Female Christian or Buddhist patients may also object to invasive procedures like child-birth and gynecologist services performed by men.
Age is another crucial determinant of how a patient will respond to treatment from a person of a different faith. Religion places a high emphasis on age with the elderly deserving respect and compassion. Also, according to Smith, listening and letting the patient guide the spirituality needs is crucial (Smith, 2017). Therefore, a Hindu elderly man may refuse treatment that may involve a young person seeing his/her nakedness.
Conclusion
What was learned from the Research?
The most significant lesson I learned from my research is that various religions have different views and perspectives about healthcare. Spirituality and faith play a pivotal role in the formation of ideas and beliefs toward medicine and treatment. Understanding the rationale involved in coming to those decisions is necessary for the providers to sufficiently perform their duties. Additionally, I learned that empathy and communication are two essential components for the healthcare personnel to provide holistic treatment for their patients.
How can this be applied by a Health Care Provider?
Healthcare providers could apply the lessons gained through this research by developing a healthcare plan/ framework that is sensitive to distinct beliefs and faith of various people. The nurses for example can be taught to be compassionate to their patients and to communicate with them efficiently to build a healthy provider-patient relationship.
Spiritual Perspective on Healing
References
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