References to Spirituality/Religion in JCAHO's 2008 CAMH [This document is also available as a PDF by clicking here.] The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' 2008 Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals makes the following specific references to religion/spirituality. Note that page numbers contain dashes, while Standard numbers contain points. In the Ethics, Rights and Responsibilities Overview: Patients deserve care, treatment, and services that safeguard their personal dignity and respect their cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual values. These values often influence the patient's perceptions and needs. By understanding and respecting these values, providers can meet care, treatment, and service needs and preferences. (p. RI-1) Under Standard RI.2.10 (i.e., The hospital respects the rights of patients.): Element of Performance #2: Each patient has the right to have his or her cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected. (p. RI-10) [--This is a category "C" Element of Performance, with a Measure of Success.] Element of Performance #4: The hospital accommodates the right to pastoral and other spiritual services for patients. (p. RI-10) [--This is a category "C" Element of Performance, with a Measure of Success.] Under Standard PC.2.20 (i.e., The hospital defines in writing the data and information gathered during assessment and reassessment.): Element of Performance #4: The information defined by the hospital to be gathered during the initial assessment includes the following, as relevant to the care, treatment, and services: ...For patients receiving end-of-life care, the social, spiritual, and cultural variables that influence the perceptions and expressions of grief by the patient, family members, or significant others. (p. PC-14) [This is a Category "B" Element of Performance.] Under Standard PC.3.120 (i.e., The needs of patients receiving psychosocial services to treat alcoholism or other substance use disorders are assessed.): Element of Performance #2: As appropriate to the patient's age and specific clinical needs, the psychosocial assessment includes information about the following: ...The patient's religion and spiritual orientation (p. PC-16) [--This is a Category "B" Element of Performance.] Under Standard PC.3.130 (i.e., The needs of patients receiving treatment for emotional or behavioral disorders are assessed.): Element of Performance #2: As appropriate to the patient's age and specific clinical needs, the psychosocial assessment includes information about the following: ...Religion (p. PC-17) [--This is a category "B" Element of Performance.] Under Standard PC.6.10 (i.e., The patient receives education and training specific to the patient's needs and as appropriate to the care, treatment, and services provided.): Element of Performance #2: The assessment of learning needs addresses cultural and religious beliefs, emotional barriers, desire and motivation to learn, physical and cognitive limitations, and barriers to communication as appropriate. (p. PC-21) [--This is a Category "C" Element of Performance with a Measure of Success.] Under Standard PC.7.10 (i.e., The hospital has a process for preparing and/or distributing food and nutrition products as appropriate to the care, treatment, and services provided.): Element of Performance #3: Patient's cultural, religious, and ethnic food preferences are honored, when possible, unless contraindicated. (p. PC-22a) [--This is a Category "C" Element of Performance, with a Measure of Success.] Under Standard PC.8.70 (i.e., Comfort and dignity are optimized during end-of-life care.): Rationale: The patient at or near the end of his or her life has the right to physical and psychosocial comfort. The hospital provides care that optimizes the dying patient's comfort and dignity and addresses the patient's and his or her family's psychosocial and spiritual needs. (p. PC-25) Element of Performance #1: To the extent possible, as appropriate to the patient's and family's needs and the hospital's services, interventions address patient and family comfort, dignity, and psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs, as appropriate, about death and grief. (p. PC-25) [--This is a Category "B" Element of Performance.] In an Introduction to Credentialing, Preceding Standard MS.4.10 (i.e., The hospital collects information regarding each practitioner’s current license status, training, experience, competence and ability to perform the requested privilege.): Professionalism: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, an understanding and sensitivity to diversity* and a responsible attitude toward their patients, their profession, and society. [--Footnote:] *The Joint Commission considers diversity to include race, culture, gender, religion, ethnic background, sexual preference, language, mental capacity and physical disability. (p. MS-16) [The footnote on p. MS-16 was added to the 2008 Manual.]