Press Release

Spirituality in Patient Care Why, How, When, and What Harold G. Koenig, MD For Immediate Release Contact: Sharon Kelly Tel. (484) 531-8380 Email: publicity@templetonpress.org Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The Leading Resource for Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care—Now Updated and Expanded

Dr. Harold G. Koenig’s
Spirituality in Patient Care
Second Edition

September 2007—Spirituality in Patient Care: Why, How, When, and What by Harold G. Koenig, M.D. (Templeton Foundation Press, $21.95), the landmark handbook for health professionals interested in identifying and addressing the spiritual needs of patients, has been significantly revised and updated. Over the past five years, since the first edition was written, there has been increased research on the relationships among religion, spirituality, and health, and further discussions on the application of these findings to clinical practice. Every section of the book has been rewritten and updated with the current research.

“I think this version will be my most important contribution to the field of spirituality and health,” says Dr. Koenig. “Every bit of what I know about the integration of spirituality into clinical practice, learned over twenty years, is contained in this book.”

Koenig addresses:

• Why healthcare professionals need to be aware of and prepared to assess spiritual needs as part of routine patient care. The second edition further discusses the critical role nurses play in identifying patients’ spiritual needs during hospitalization; the role of social workers in ensuring that the spiritual needs of patients and families are identified and addressed; the spiritual factors that play a major role in maintaining motivation and hope for patients in rehabilitation; and what mental health professionals can do to integrate spirituality into the care of patients with psychiatric illness.
  
  
• How to go about taking a spiritual history, with specific training guidelines on how to screen patients sensitively and competently for spiritual needs. To facilitate this, the book includes details on the health-related sacred traditions for each major religious group, an expanded feature of the second edition.
  
  
• When to begin spiritual intervention and when to refer patients to trained spiritual care professionals who can competently address spiritual needs.
  
  
• What results can be expected from assessing patients’ spiritual needs. Koenig points out that some religious beliefs can interfere with medical care, leading to health problems or worsening the disease outcome. He suggests how to handle these situations in thoughtful and effective manners.

New sections specifically address physicians in primary care and medical and surgical specialties, mental-health professionals, nurses, chaplains, pastoral counselors, social workers, and occupational and physical therapists.

Additionally, a ten-session model course curriculum on spirituality and healthcare for medical students and residents is provided, with suggestions on how to adapt it for the training of nurses, social workers, and rehabilitation specialists.

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