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<\/p>\n
\u201cLord, I am not worthy to receive you\u2026,\u201d my mother says as she offers the Eucharist, a wafer of unleavened bread consecrated by a Roman Catholic priest, to a frail 80-year-old woman who lies in her hospital bed. Terminal lung cancer and pneumonia have sapped the woman of her strength, but she can still muster the ritual response.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut only say the word,\u201d she whispers faintly, \u201cand my soul shall be healed.\u201d The woman parts her dry lips and expectantly opens her mouth, where my mother places the wafer.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease,\u201d my mother says gently, \u201clet it dissolve on your tongue before you swallow.\u201d The woman complies, a mixture of relief and contentment on her face.<\/p>\n
This patient\u2019s desire to have this rite performed (and thereby, as her faith tells her, enter heaven in a state of purity) was so strong that she asked her family members to seek out my mother, and she pointedly requested an early swallow evaluation in preparation.<\/p>\n
Spirituality will play an increasing role in the patient-centered healthcare model of the future, even though many providers are unaware of this trend. It will be difficult to ignore religion in healthcare settings, given data like these:<\/p>\n
The response from the healthcare profession has been mixed. In 2002, prayer was \u201cthe most commonly used complementary and alternative medical treatment in the United States,\u201d and a full 43% of 31,044 people surveyed throughout the U.S. have reported praying for health reasons (