Spiritual Care

The Miracle of Healing

 Let’s face it, no one wants to be in the hospital. However, when the time comes to seek medical care, patients want a hospital that attracts experienced physicians and nurses and offers the most advanced technologies available. 

But it doesn’t stop there.

“At Hamilton we work every day under four guiding principles, or values, that we call the four ‘Cs’,” said Hamilton's former President and CEO John Bowling. “They include customer focused care, competent care, compassionate care and cost effective care. Without compassion, Hamilton’s ability to provide a healing environment would be compromised.”

Health Care as a Ministry

 Personalized, friendly care is woven in the fabric of Hamilton’s 85-year history. According to Bowling, “Our mission is to serve others through the ministry of health care. We serve others by reaching out to them and taking them in during their times of need.”

While other hospitals talk of patient satisfaction and providing outstanding service, Hamilton has taken its commitment a step further by building a program dedicated to the comfort and unique needs of patients, their families and hospital staff.

That program is called, “Healing Interventions.”

Healing Interventions

 Hamilton’s Healing Interventions program flows from its commitment to Service Excellence, which is an organizational-wide initiative at Hamilton aimed at achieving measurably high patient and employee satisfaction.

Healing Interventions was coined to describe Hamilton’s commitment to creating healing environments for patients and staff through a focus on their physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs.

It consists of pastoral care, music therapy, a team of patient advocates, volunteer services and a gift shop.

The team’s focus on satisfaction ensures that staff, patients and visitors get the support they need and attention they deserve. The ultimate goal of the Healing Interventions team and Hamilton’s commitment to Service Excellence is to make sure patients feel that they are not a room number or a disease, but a special person with worthy needs.

Pastoral Care

 The hospital’s chaplain, tends to the spiritual needs of patients and family members, offering everything from prayer to counsel.

While most patients’ pastors are contacted upon their admission, the hospital's chaplain remains available to handle special needs and crises, like the loss of a loved one.

Healing Music

 Music complements pastoral care by providing for emotional needs in ways the spoken word cannot. 

The live sounds of the harp create a soothing atmosphere for the healing of the body, mind and soul. According to Stewart, the vibrations of the harp increase glandular stimulation more effectively than any other instrument, which increases the body’s ability to fight disease.

Composition, tempo and dynamic are determined by the patient’s needs or situation.

Whatever It Takes

 The Healing Interventions team is committed to making sure every guest is treated with respect and provided comfort.

In addition to pastoral care and music therapy, Hamilton employs patient advocates, who serve as a link between the patient and their caregivers.

Patient advocates are involved in many aspects of a patient’s care from being part of the first-responder team during crises to arranging services following hospitalization.

A Special Calling

 The team members of Healing Interventions don’t take individual credit for their successes. They speak of everything they do in terms of collaboration and teamwork.
Each person considers what they do as a ministry they are called to fulfill.

Whether its praying with patients, playing music, working on behalf of patient and staff needs, coordinating volunteer efforts or offering items through the gift shop, Hamilton’s dedicated Healing Interventions team works tirelessly to improve the experiences of patients, visitors and staff.

They may not consider themselves miracle workers, but they create the environment for the miracle of healing to exist.