Season 4: Episode 18 - The Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health
As Catholic health providers navigate an increasingly complex world, the value of clinical ethics cannot be understated. But the world of ethics is complicated itself: How do we give equal time to both clinical care and consultation as well as academic research, peer review and church relationships?

Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, and Dan Daly, the founding Executive Director of the brand new Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health, join Health Calls to discuss the new center being launched in Summer 2024. Sr. Mary explains the work that went into The Center’s development, Dan gives his background in ethics and Catholic health care, and both share their vision for how The Center could operate as a go-to resource for Catholic health providers in the near future.

Resources:

Read Catholic Health World’s story on Dan Daly’s appointment as The Center’s founding Executive Director

Read Boston College’s release on Dan Daly’s appointment

Transcript

Season 4: Episode 17 - The Impact of Ministry Formation on Colleague Experience

Join us for a dynamic discussion on the impact of ministry formation on the colleague experience, featuring Darren Henson, Senior Director of Ministry Formation at CHA, Pete Guarisco, VP of Mission at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, and Rafael Flores, Director of Mission Integration at FMOL Northshore Region. Discover FMOL's deep commitment to ministry formation across the system and its profound significance in upholding the legacy of their ministry's founding congregations. Gain insights into the diverse approaches to formation and how they shape colleague experiences, interactions, and the delivery of care. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the transformative power of ministry formation in health care.

Transcript

Resources:
Video: An FMOL Colleague’s Ministry Formation Experience

The Power of Purpose: Catholic Health Leaders Cultivate Inner Lives, Supportive Relationships

Season 4: Episode 16 - Viewing AI Through a Catholic Social Teaching Lens

Nate Hibner, Ph.D., Senior Director of Ethics and Editor of Health Care Ethics USA (HCEUSA) at CHA and Nicholas Kockler, Ph.D., MS, HEC-C, Vice President of System Ethics Services at Providence St. Joseph Health in Renton, Washington, join Health Calls for an enlightening discussion, exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and Catholic social teaching, the topic of Kockler’s recent HCEUSA article. Discover how Catholic social teaching serves as a moral compass for navigating the complexities of AI, illustrating how AI can transcend being a mere tool and become an extension of our commitment to societal betterment by emphasizing values such as human dignity and the common good. Gain insights into the importance of forging partnerships in Catholic health care to ensure that AI is grounded in real-world needs.

Transcript

Resource:
Generating Insights from Catholic Social Teaching: Ethical Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Ministries by Nicholas Kockler, Ph.D., MS, HEC-C - HCEUSA Fall 2023

Season 4: Episode 15 - Leading with Integrity

Dennis Gonzales, Ph.D., CHA’s Senior Director of Mission Innovation and Integration and Ann Garrido, author of Redeeming Power: Exercising the Gift as God Intended and associate professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, join Health Calls to discuss the importance of a leader's positive worldview in effectively navigating change. In this enlightening conversation, they explore the concept of "a spirituality of power," highlighting how managerial courage and visionary leadership appear in daily interactions within an organization. They delve into the transformative power of ongoing reflection and examine how Jesus understood and exercised power. By considering the relational nature of power, Gonzales and Garrido offer insights into how a leader's understanding of power informs their role in promoting human flourishing and working for the common good.

Transcript

Resources:
Embracing Change: It's Who We Are by Dennis Gonzales, Ph.D. – Health Progress Spring 2024

Redeeming Power: Exercising the Gift as God Intended by Ann M. Garrido

Season 4: Episode 14 - Researching on the Road with Avera Health

Research is a key component of any health system. So, when it comes to serving rural areas, how do these systems reach patients and populations that may otherwise be left out of the research process?

Valerie Schremp Hahn, Associate Editor of Catholic Health World, and Amy Elliott, PhD, the Avera Research Institute's Chief Clinical Research Officer, join Health Calls to discuss Hahn’s recent article covering Elliott's work for Avera’s mobile research lab. Elliott walks through the process of funding the lab, the challenges of operating it and how being on the road brings a wealth of opportunities to rural communities.

Transcript

Read the Catholic Health World Article "Avera mobile lab brings researchers to rural communities."

Season 4: Episode 13 - Mutual Learning in Global Health

One of the most critical aspects of global health practice is creating and fostering good relationships. Having trusted partners around the globe not only allows us to get the proper resources where they need to go, but also facilitates opportunities for mutual learning.

Bruce Compton, CHA's Senior Director of Global Health, and Edmund Nigel Ramsay Crisp, The Lord Crisp KCB, House of Lords, United Kingdom and former Chief Executive of England's National Health Service, join Health Calls to discuss ways we can learn from each other in our shared goal of increasing health equity across the globe. Lord Crisp recounts lessons he learned from his time spent as the Chief Executive of the NHS, as well as the benefits of doing work outside your home country. Compton also adds insight into CHA's new discussion paper, The Future of Health Workforce: Insights and Opportunities to Transform International Health Workforce Recruitment and Capacity.

Transcript

Resources

Access CHA's new Global Health discussion paper here

Visit CHA's Global Health page for more resources and insights into Global Health policy

Season 4: Episode 12 - Building Trust in Community Benefit

As health systems work to eliminate inequities in the communities they serve, are we doing all that we can to establish trustworthiness with those communities? What if there is already a lack of trust between provider and patient?

Betsy Taylor, Editor of Health Progress and Philip Alberti, Ph.D., Sr. Director of Health Equity Research and Policy and Founding Director of the AAMC Center for Health Justice, join the show to discuss Dr. Alberti's recent article in Health Progress. Dr. Alberti describes why he prefers the term 'vital conditions' to 'social determinants' and offers his insights on how and how not to build and maintain trustworthiness with communities.

» View transcript

Resources

Read Dr. Alberti's article in Health Progress, "Building Health Communities Requires Trustworthiness"

Visit CHA's Community Benefit page for up-to-date resources 

Season 4: Episode 11 - Caring for Neurodivergent Patients at Treffert Studios

Treating neurodivergent patients is a complicated process. How do we approach the spectrum of neurodivergence with the care, compassion, and intentionality that it deserves?

Betsy Taylor, editor of Health Progress, Dr. Jeremy Chapman, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist at SSM Health Treffert Studios, Meg Puddy, Director of Behavioral Health at SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac, and Spencer Depies, Technician at SSM Health Treffer Studios, all join Health Calls to discuss Treffert Studios’ unique approach to caring for neurodivergent patients. Dr. Chapman discusses the key tenants of the Treffert approach, Meg Puddy recounts her personal experiences with Dr. Treffert, and Spencer Depies gives specific examples of how Treffert Studios offers its patients opportunities to flourish.

» View transcript

Resource

Read the recent Health Progress article on the Treffert Studios

Season 4: Episode 10 - Caring for Double-Duty Caregivers

Do you know what a "double-duty caregiver" is? Chances are that if you work in health care, you know a few of them… and you may even be one yourself!

Betsy Taylor, editor of Health Progress, and Debra Kelsey-Davis, co-founder of Nourish for Caregivers and Sagacity.Care, join the show to discuss Kelsey-Davis's recent article for the fall issue of Health Progress. They discuss how COVID-19 impacted the stress levels of double-duty caregivers, raising awareness and how Catholic health systems can better care and advocate for the double-duty caregivers working in the ministry.

Resources 

Read Debra Kelsey-Davis's article, "Double-Duty Caregiving: Clinicians Caring for Others at Work and Home Need Support" for Health Progress

Visit the Nourish for Caregivers website

» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 9 - Stories of Catholic Health Care from the AIDS Crisis

World AIDS Day is commemorated every year on Dec. 1. As we approach this year's observance, how do the stories of those who pioneered care for AIDS patients inform our care today?

Paulo Pontemayor, CHA's Senior Director of Government Relations, and Michael O'Loughlin, national correspondent for America magazine and author of Hidden Mercy, join the show to discuss O'Loughlin's contributions to Hold Out Your Hand, a new resource offered by CHA. O'Loughlin discusses his work telling the stories of Catholic caregivers during the AIDS crisis and offers thoughts on how these stories can inspire Catholic health care providers to care for the marginalized in the future.

Resources

Hold Out Your Hand - Stories from the Catholic Health Care Effort During the Global AIDS Crisis

Listen to Plague, a podcast produced by America Media and hosted by Michael O'Loughlin

Read Hidden Mercy, Michael O'Loughlin’s book on stories of Catholics and the AIDS crisis

Read this story about St. Mary's CARE Center from Catholic Health World

A World AIDS Day Conversation

» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 8 - Laudate Deum and the Urgent Call to Climate Action

Pope Francis recently released his new apostolic exhortation, Laudate Deum, calling for a renewed sense of urgency in combatting climate change. As he cites overwhelming scientific evidence that the world is facing a climate crisis that is caused by human activity, how should Catholic health care best respond to this urgent Apostolic exhortation?

Indu Spugnardi, Director of Advocacy and Resource Development for CHA, and Fr. Daniel Horan, Professor of Philosophy, Religious Studies and Theology at St. Mary's College and Director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality, join the show to discuss the new apostolic exhortation and Fr. Daniel's coverage of the release for the National Catholic Reporter. Fr. Daniel discusses our relationship to the world around us, the document's inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi, and having hope for the future.

Resources

Read Laudate Deum at the Vatican's official website

Read Fr. Daniel's column on Laudate Deum at the National Catholic Reporter

Visit CHA's Environment page for more resources

Sign up for the Laudato Si' Action Platform

» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 7 - Environmental Considerations for Global Health
As health care systems look to develop healthy partnerships across the globe, environmental impacts must become a factor to consider. How do we partner with organizations in a way that isn’t harmful to communities already experiencing the effects of climate change?

Erica Smith, Executive Director of Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, and Bruce Compton, Sr. Director of Global Health and International Outreach at CHA, join Health Calls to discuss their recent international visits, developing partnerships that focus on lessening environmental impacts and how to effectively and safely donate material goods.

Resources

Visit Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach website
Check out CHA’s Medical Surplus Recovery resources

» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 6 - Providence's Carbon-Negative Health Care Pledge
Between hurricanes and heat waves, the effects of the climate crisis have never been more evident. How can health care systems make bold commitments that will make a difference in the fight against climate change?

Ali Santore, Chief Advocacy and Social Responsibility Officer at Providence, and Beth Schenk, Chief Environmental Stewardship Officer at Providence, join Health Calls to discuss their system's pledge to be carbon-negative by 2030. They discuss the way the pledge has been integrated throughout leadership structures, the definition of "carbon negative" health care and how their climate impacts can be measured using data.
» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 5 - What Patients with Chronic Illness Want Providers to Know
Patients with chronic illnesses want what any patient seeking health care wants: to improve their health without exhaustive treatment. Unlike the majority, however, these patients face specific barriers to achieving that care.

Betsy Taylor, editor of Health Progress, and Tricia Steele, author of the Sick Person Guide e-book series, join Health Calls to discuss Steele’s recent article for Health Progress. Steele discusses her experiences as a patient advocate and ways that health care delivery isn’t equipped to meet specific patients’ needs and proposes steps that health systems can take to better care for those with chronic illnesses.

"What Patients With Chronic Illness Want Providers to Know" 
(Health Progress, Summer 2023)

» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 4 - Medicaid Coverage for Spiritual Care
Studies suggest that whole-person health care isn’t limited to physical health but also includes mental and spiritual well-being. So why is spiritual care more difficult to find coverage for?
» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 3 - Strategies for Talking about the ERDs
The Ethical and Religious Directives have been a popular topic of conversation in health care circles for the past year. But what if we stopped viewing them simply as a list of do's and dont's, but as a living document articulating the mission and identity of Catholic health care?
» View transcript

Season 4: Episode 2 - Roadmaps to Health Equity
The road to health equity is long, and many hospitals and healthcare facilities are on different parts of the journey. How do we gauge best practices and strategies for different parties?

Season 4: Episode 1 - Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy in a Virtual Age
Much of the health care process happens virtually these days. In the Catholic health ministry, how does spiritual care play into this equation?

Health Calls Season Four Promo
Season Four of Health Calls, the podcast of the Catholic Health Association, kicks off on June 27! Subscribe now!