Posted by The Omnibrain on March 4, 2009 Why in the world does my hospital/doctor need to know what my religious beliefs are?
I was running through this check-in form where they asked the usual questions like, what did your parents die of, etc. But then I got to the social section where they asked my education then my religion. WTF?! I guess I should have stopped even at the education but I’m so used to filling that out.
Seriously WTF?!
I did write “REALLY?!!” as my response to the question though.
Because the vast majority of people filling out those forms have one and are likely to have some very specific things they would like to see happen in a worst case scenario based on those beliefs. It’s fairly understandable.
A few possible reasons, all highly speculative:
1) Certain religions are more likely to correspond to certain diseases, especially ones associated with diet.
2) Related to 1, some religions have dietary restrictions that hospitals try to accommodate. This helps give them data on that. Related to that, some religions have other restrictions that it is good for the hospitals to know about. For example, some hospitals try to put their Orthodox Jewish patients on low leveled floors if possible so as to make their visitors not have to climb many floors on the Sabbath.
3) Some religions have objections to certain types of treatment and it is useful to know in advance if someone might be from such a religion.
4) Many religious groups visit the sick when possible. Some of those groups visit the sick of their own religion especially or visit them first. It is useful thus to have lists of where people from each religion are coming from. Related to this, if a hospital notices that they are getting more members from a specific religion, they may want to get clergy in that religion to show up every now and again.
5) Demographic data is interesting. Religion is a classic variable to look at when trying to get large scale data. There might be interesting patterns in there.
If one doesn’t have a religion it is easy to put down “none” or “atheist” or “agnostic” or if one is being more snarky “None (I’m an atheist)”.
If your Catholic, they need to know so they can call the priest if you are at death’s door.
I don’t know about in the USA, but, if it happened in the UK, I’d assume it was for statistical purposes, to show that people from different religious backgrounds were not being discriminated against.
Certain religions are more likely to correspond to certain diseases
Such as terminally persistent cognitive dissonance?
It can be helpful if a patient’s religious beliefs preclude certain interventions. (The common one is Jehovah’s Witnesses with regards to blood transfusions.) And, it’s probably the same reason why they’ll ask you whether or not you want CPR done, whether you want to be defibrillated, or whether you want to be attached to a mechanical ventilator, because you never know.
It’s fairly obvious, but not quite as dire as #3. Many hospitals have chaplains on staff to help and support patients (they provide and are specially trained in counseling in addition to administering last rites).
If you request one or if they make regular rounds, they can try to assign one who is an appropriate fit.
I understand them asking that question on in-take forms so that services can be provided in worst case scenarios, however one time I was in the hospital on a Sunday and a lady (who was wearing religious attire) walked in and asked my religious affiliation. I said Christian and she said okay and walked out. I thought to myself- did i answer that incorrectly What would have happened if I said Catholic, Jewish, etc? It’s bothered me to this day, and that was 7 years ago!
I don’t know about in the USA, but, if it happened in the UK, I’d assume it was for statistical purposes, to show that people from different religious backgrounds were not being discriminated against.
While I accept gathering information for legitimate purposes, I would find it damned annoying to provide information to satisfy some bureaucrat’s spreadsheet. I certainly would be strongly inclined to not provide that.
My favorite is the objective with a new M.D. The question in particular is “Any guns in the house?”
Of course this question followed after delving into my sexuality.
When the doc asked that gun question I looked at him with a “WTF” expression. Asked him to go back to the sexuality questions and that is when he looked sheepish. The ostensible purpose of the guns question is kids in the house. Ooops!
Oooh, bad memories of standing at check-in at Boulder Community Hospital at 4a.m., suffering from agonising sciatic-pain and trying to decide how to answer that question. I think I answered “none”.
God help anyone who writes down “Christian Scientist.”
No, seriously. That’s the only way they’ll get any better.
*rimshot*
I review a lot of medical records, and I only see the religion question on records from church-affiliated hospitals. Catholics and SDAs particularly.
hey, if you’re Jewish or Muslim, they might want to know not to use pig-insulin on you if you’re going into diabetic keto-acidosis.
Really, of all the invasive things they have to ask you, is this one worth getting your knickers in a knot over???
It worries me a little that you might be serious.
As is multiply-mentioned above, it’s so, if you die, they know who to call first: priest, rabbi, or undertaker?
Hi,
There are certain formalities which they have to perform at their level.
Austin
when they ask “sex”
just say yes
when they ask “religion?” you could say “that would be an ecclesiastical matter”
or, “tell you later”, or, “send everyone at once, please”
when they ask “sex”
just say “yes, two times in a day” =))
Many hospitals have chaplains on staff to help and support patients (they provide and are specially trained in counseling in addition to administering last rites). If you request one or if they make regular rounds, they can try to assign one who is an appropriate fit.
This is the correct answer to the question. Most hospitals have chaplains’ offices. Lists are created and the offices try to assign patients based on best denominational fit. The chaplains visit patients to see if they can offer assistance, counsel, prayers, sacraments and, sometimes, last rites. They don’t force prayers, counsel or last rites on anyone, but they make it known that they are available. Many patients appreciate this.
That is why religious affiliation is requested at intake.
I would be tempted to put “Jedi,” but I’d be too frightened if a chaplain actually showed up!
Perhaps it is to stop people of religions that are at odds with each other from being put in the same room. Nothing interferes with post surgical recovery like a religious war 
I have always assumed so that they can provide the appropriate services for you if you are near death.
I doubt if it has to do with dietary restrictions, as hospitals will usually ask you about dietary restrictions separately. (You can have health-related dietary restrictions as well as religious-related one.)
In additon, not all people who identify as Jewish share the same dietary restrictions. It depends upon how how they choose to follow their religion. I would assume the same goes for members of other religions that have dietary restrictions.
Well, some people might be rastafarians and sometimes they smoke marijuana. That could potentially be a medical issue. The possibilities seem endlessly legit
The chaplain answer is the one I’d always heard, though I can see how things like DNR or no blood transfusions would contribute.
It is certainly not limited to religion-run hospitals, and I imagine most people in North America either want that question on the list or don’t care one way or another. In the end it prevents inadvertent conflicts or invasions of privacy.
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