Interfaith Insight - 2021
Permanent link for "Interfaith opportunities and challenges in the health community" by Doug Kindschi on February 9, 2021
As our community and nation become more diverse, we all have the
opportunity to learn and affirm the value of our expanded worldview.
For many of us it was international travel that introduced us to this
bigger world. Sponsoring international students can also be an
enriching experience of bringing the wider world into our own homes.
Even look at our eating habits. I remember many decades ago when I had
my first taste of that “new” food called pizza. Consider the rich
variety of cuisine that we now take for granted. Yes, diversity brings
many wonderful opportunities for learning and developing new friends
and relationships.
Diversity can also bring challenges as different beliefs present
decisions that as a society we didn’t previously have to face. Health
care is one arena where such issues frequently emerge. It is a
critical field where important contributions come from increasing
diversity. Immigrants and foreign-born professionals play a vital
role in the health care community. They also represent much of
the religious diversity as well.
For example, in Michigan, with less than a 3% Muslim population,
15% of the medical doctors in the state are Muslim. Furthermore, they
have also made many vital contributions to science and the practice of
medicine. Nationally, over one-quarter of the medical doctors are
foreign trained and in certain areas like geriatrics, they comprise
more than 50% of the field. Immigrant doctors are also more likely to
serve in areas of greater poverty. Recent studies have shown that over
20 million Americans live in areas where over half of the doctors are
foreign trained.
It is clear that immigrants and foreign-trained doctors fill
important health care needs in many underprivileged areas of our
country. They contribute not only to our increased diversity but in
vital ways contribute to our overall health system.
This is also true of the broader health team with increased
diversity among nurses contributing in major ways to hospitals and
long-term care facilities. Immigrants account for nearly one-quarter
of the work force in long-term care facilities and perhaps even more
in individual care arenas. Immigration is critical to the health and
care of the increasing numbers of elderly as well as disabled Americans.
Diversity in these areas also brings, in addition to tangible
contributions, an opportunity to learn about the rich variety of
cultures in our world. Religious diversity also broadens our
appreciation of the many expressions of spirituality. As we interact,
we have the opportunity to go deeper in our own religious faith and
challenge some of our simplistic assumptions.
Additionally, religious pluralism in the health fields gives us
an expanded understanding of differing values and practices that can
bring challenges as well. The West Michigan Medical Ethics Conference
coming up later this month explores some of these issues as it
addresses the theme, “Waiting for a Miracle: The Role of Religion in a
Patient’s Decision Making.”
One of the issues deals with end-of-life concerns, a topic
explored the past two weeks in the Ethics & Religion column that
appears in the Religion section of The Grand Rapids Press. The
organizer of that column, Rabbi David Krishef, is also a member of
the interfaith panel for the conference. The panel will also include
persons from the Muslim and Hindu faiths as well as Christian
ministers, both Catholic and Protestant. These
different faith traditions will help us learn the various perspectives
and be enriched.
Many other topics will be explored, from how dietary restrictions
can be accommodated to the use of vaccines and the appropriate use of
medications to relieve suffering. Different traditions will bring
perspectives that will be helpful to health care workers as well as to
the rest of us who might be dealing with similar challenges. These are
ethical issues that also become practical in the health care setting.
The afternoon session will include presentations from
philosophical/ethics professionals and from those working in hospitals
in the area of spiritual care.
The evening DeVos Medical Ethics Colloquy will address the theme,
“The Role of Religion in Health Care.” We will hear from two
nationally respected directors of university bioethics centers.
Ana Iltis, Ph.D. is a professor of philosophy and director of the
Center for Bioethics, Health and Society at Wake Forest University in
North Carolina. She is the president of the American Society for
Bioethics and Humanities and serves editorial roles in both The
Journal of Medicine and Philosophy and the Annals of Bioethics book series.
Ryan Nash, M.D. is the director of the Ohio State University
Center for Bioethics. He has a faculty appointment in the Department
of Internal Medicine with ongoing clinical work in the Department of
Palliative Medicine. He serves on the editorial boards of The Journal
of Medicine and Philosophy and Christian Bioethics. Dr. Nash is
certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal
medicine and in hospice and palliative medicine.
The conference and colloquy are organized by the Vice Provost
Office for Health at Grand Valley State University. The
Kaufman Interfaith Institute is pleased to collaborate with them as a
part of our 2021 – Year of Interfaith Healing. More information about
this is also available on our website.
You are welcome to join doctors, nurses, social workers, and
other health professionals as well as members of the community for
these important learning events. Community participation is free, but
registration is required. Further information and registration link
is available at our website. We hope you will be able to join us.
Ana Iltis, Ph.D
Ryan Nash, M.D.