The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals: New Book by Dr. Patricia Gabow

The word Catholic is often capitalized and used in reference to the religious denomination. It may also be an adjective meaning comprehensive or universal. On this episode of SoundPractice we will be discussing the term in both of its definitions. The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals: A Marriage Made in Heaven? is a new book extensively researched and written by Patricia Gabow, MD, MACP, former CEO of Denver General Hospital. The Foreword of the book is by Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP. Hear about the role of the bishops and the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) in policy making for the Catholic health system. We also discuss surprising statistics about the extent, reach, and influence of Catholic Healthcare in terms of the number of beds and hospitals. From small hospitals built by nuns and nurses to now having four out of the ten largest healthcare systems in the United States being Catholic systems. There is another side to the story. Patients may not understand that certain reproductive care or end-of-life care are not available to them in a Catholic health system. Physicians who work in these systems may not understand the reach and influence of the ERDs. We will be exploring this issue in depth. In Gabow’s book, she provides a section on considerations for the Catholic health system’s return to mission fidelity. Join us for this insightful and thought-provoking discussion on the Catholic Church and its hospitals. Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org