Spiritual Support & Ethical Concerns

Spiritual Support
The Department of Spiritual Care provides spiritual support in keeping with the beliefs or religious practices of patients and their families. Chaplains are available for counsel, prayer and support for those in need. The Spiritual Care Department will also assist in contacting clergy from the community.

An interfaith chapel/meditation room is located on the 1st floor just off the lobby of the new hospital, and is always open for prayer and meditation. Religious services are held around major holidays. Please contact the Spiritual Care Department, (203) 863-3146, or e-mail them at: Nancy.King@greenwichhospital.org.

For location of Meditation Room/Chapel, click here for floor plans

Ethical Concerns
There are times when questions and options about medical care and treatment pose dilemmas for patients, families, physicians and staff. Greenwich Hospital's Ethics Committee--a multi-disciplinary group of physicians, clergy, hospital staff and community members--is available for consultation. Patients and families may access the Committee directly by contacting the Spiritual Care Department or Patient and Guest Relations. Spiritual Care: (203) 863-3146, e-mail: Nancy.King@greenwichhospital.org. Patient and Guest Relations: (203) 863-4746, e-mail: Christine.Beechner@greenwichhospital.org.

Schwartz Center Rounds for Greenwich Hospital Caregivers
Greenwich Hospital offers a unique educational series that deepens our caregivers' ability to deliver care with empathy and compassion. Called Schwartz Center Rounds, these multidisciplinary sessions provide a forum to explore the emotional side of the healthcare profession.

A national program with sites across the country, Schwartz Center Rounds are funded by the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, a Boston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing compassionate healthcare.

Connecting emotionally to patients, families and colleagues
In a typical Rounds session, a panel of caregivers presents a patient case that raises compelling psychosocial issues. Topics delve into situations familiar to healthcare workers: delivering bad news, handling conflicts between spiritual beliefs and medical advice, caring for a colleague, dealing with the death of a patient, to name a few. Hospital staff then share their own thoughts and feelings in a facilitated discussion. Unlike “Grand Rounds” where physicians discuss interesting medical cases, Schwartz Center Rounds are not about clinical problem-solving. Their goal instead is to explore and process the emotions that come up in the daily work of hospital staff.

Schwartz Center Rounds have many benefits for patients, families and caregivers. The discussions help forge stronger caregiver connections—with those they care for and those they work with. Caregivers also experience a deeper understanding of the effects of illness on patients and families, and feel less isolated and stressed through this shared Schwartz Rounds experience. For more information, visit www.theschwartzcenter.org.