Being sick or injured can be frightening and emotionally draining. In addition to your medical care, our hospital makes available emotional and spiritual support for you and your loved ones. A chaplain is available to listen, to comfort, and to help you draw upon your religious or spiritual strength. Care is provided for all persons, not only those who identify as religious or spiritual.
Your nurse knows how to contact the chaplain, but you may also do so personally: in an emergency the chaplain may be paged through the hospital operator at 215-662-4000; and regular requests may be called in to the Pastoral Care Department office at 215-662-2591.
Two interfaith chapels are available for meditation 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. One is located on the ground floor of the new Pavilion building, and one is next to the Pastoral Care Department office on the first floor of the Dulles building.
Your hospital chaplain respects your religious tradition and personal experiences. Whatever our own denominations may be, chaplains come to support rather than to persuade. We also welcome the involvement of your home clergy while you are being cared for here, and we will be glad to help you contact clergy of any faith to visit and comfort you and your family. For example, Catholic priests and eucharistic ministers designated by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia visit patients who identify themselves as Roman Catholic.
All HUP chaplains and volunteer pastoral visitors wear appropriate hospital identification.