Maryland Faith Community Health Network Aims to Connect Hospitals and Places of Worship to Improve the Health of Marylanders
Baltimore, MD - For many people, their faith community serves as an extension of their own family, offering support and guidance throughout their lives. However, when someone goes into the hospital, this "extended family" may not know what the person needs or how best to offer support. Now, through an innovative partnership, the new Maryland Faith Community Health Network will connect hospital navigators and volunteer liaisons from local places of worship (such as churches, synagogues and mosques) to help coordinate care and support patients, both during and after a hospital stay.
The Maryland Faith Community Health Network is a partnership between LifeBridge Health, the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative (MCHI) and dozens of local houses of faith, all coming together with the shared goal of improving the health of people in Maryland.
"The health of a community is only as strong as the well-being of its citizens. The Maryland Faith Community Health Network offers an intriguing new approach to support our citizens, help them recover from illness and keep them well," says Van Mitchell, secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Network's first initiative is a two-year pilot project with three LifeBridge Health hospitals: one urban (Sinai Hospital), one suburban (Northwest Hospital) and one rural (Carroll Hospital).
With the patient's consent, faith leaders in the pilot will be notified when a member of their congregation is admitted to the hospital, then specially trained liaisons from the patient's own faith organization will work with hospital navigators to provide support to patients and their families, which could range from prayer, transportation and providing meals to referring them to trusted professionals in the community. Patients will have control over what information will be shared with their liaisons.
"Through the coordination between our congregational liaisons and hospital navigators, we will be able to deploy our ministry resources more effectively and efficiently, and therefore provide more timely and appropriate support for our congregants," says Rev. John Deckenback of the United Church of Christ, who is the chairperson of the Ecumenical Leaders Group
While many faith communities may already have sophisticated health and visitation ministries, it may take some time before they know that a member is in the hospital. Through the Network, the congregational liaisons will know right away when a member is hospitalized. They will also get direct access to the hospital navigator so they can work together on any issues or challenges that may arise, as well as plan what social support the patient may need when he or she leaves the hospital. Also, the hospital navigator may be able to help the communities address upcoming needs that they or the patients themselves may not have anticipated.
"At LifeBridge Health, we have been working to keep our communities healthy through our Population Health department, pastoral care and other outreach initiatives. We are now excited