Why would religion matter?

[dairyfreelife]

I was at an Urgent Care center yesterday to get some tests done. When I went through registration, they asked a bunch of normal question: What's your birthdate, SSN, who's your insurance provider, etc. Towards the end I was asked what my religious preference was?

I told them Christian, but I was wondering why that even mattered? Maybe it was for some survey thing? They did ask any other questions about my beliefs so I thought that was rather odd. It's affliated with a hospital, but it is not a religious one. I have been to several doctors and have never been asked this question before. Anyone else ever experienced this?

[DistantStar]

In my experience they ask at hospitals in case of a major emergency so if somebody wants clergy they know who to call but in an urgent care center? I have no idea whatsoever.

[ilovetchotchkes]

Couple of reasons.

If you were admitted, they'd want to be sensitive to some dietary restrictions (not like that actually works, my midwife wrote "JEWISH NO PORK" all over my chart in the notes, instructions etc, and the cafeteria STILL brought me bacon the morning after a horrific 28 hour labor). Also, the whole Jehovah's witness blood transfusion possible issue maybe?

When I registered for labor and delivery, they also wanted to know the name of where my religious community was just in case something went wrong and i'd want my rabbi to visit. Could be that? like if you're catholic and near death, they could call a priest to do the rite of extreme unction.

[Extricated]

I hadn't thought of the dietary or other restrictions that might take place. :doh: It makes so much more sense now.

I have been in the hospital when a clergy person of my faith was making his weekly visit. The nurses told him who of his faith was accepting visitors and he came in and asked if there was anything he could pray about or get for me. That was the only time anything ever came of it. You can leave that space blank.

[terranova]

When I was registering with my midwife, she asked us if we had any relgious requirements, which included what we wanted to do with the placenta, would we be needing a member of the clergy present should something go wrong, she asked about the possibility of blood transfusions, and did we want religious based prenatal classes!

[bionicmlle]

This is an excellent question! I am not sure I have the answers but would agree with all listed above. This is often a "demographic" type of question such as race/ethnicity/gender/marital status -- it may be helpful for identification.

Knowing what religion can be helpful in knowing which clergy should be called from the chaplains' service. In addition, there are some religious affiliations which require special "handling" in some cases -- as listed above in the instance of Jehovah's Witness (but also Christian Scientists, some catholics, etc). the flip side of that is that most people with non-conventional medical requests are REALLY on top of letting the medical team know however in emergencies/traumas the medical team will do whatever is necessary to preserve life -- a listing of "Jehovah's Witness" on the demographic info would not necessarily keep a trauma team from giving a transfusion unless explicitly asked NOT to do so.

[musicalbookworm]

Hah! A friend of mine lists his religion as devout coward for medical purposes.

[maybeizfundie]

To send in appropriate clergy, for a start.

Our midwives have a religion section to the registration part of their papers, and then a "specific beliefs that may affect your care" part under that. It helps them approach new patients in a respectful and appropriate way, and it gives patients an opportunity to give a heads up--hormonal birth control is out for me, there are certain modesty requirements I need to keep, abortion is off the table, we're crazy speaking-in-tongues charismatics so don't be scared if my mother starts stomping and shouting when I'm in labor :lol:

[Pammy]

I hate to say... but there are also different ways they treat the dead of different faiths, respecting the general wishes various convictions. Some things are only relevant if things go wrong.

[dairyfreelife]

That might have made sense if they asked other questions about beliefs, but they did not do so. I would have understood the concern about blood transfusions or the "in case of death..." questions, but they never asked any of those types of questions. I was asked if I have a living will, which I do not because I have no reason for one, but they still did not ask any other hard questions. That is why it was so odd.

Honestly though, I was only getting a couple simple outpatient tests. An EKG, a lung x-ray and they took some blood for testing. That was it. I have had tests done where I was put under and the question of religious preference never came up. I just thought it was very strange and wondered if there was a specific reason for doing so that I might be missing. Thanks for the responses.

[FaustianSlip]

I was about to say what Pammy did. If you're Jewish, there are some really specific rules involving death and burial that need to be followed (the biggest one is no cremation, but there can also be issues that need to be addressed when it comes to stuff like organ donation or autopsies). I actually have a medical power of attorney that I did before going overseas that I got from the Conservative Jewish Rabbinical Assembly that details what I want done (or not done) in the case of certain medical emergencies, in the event I'm unable to consent or decide for myself. It has instructions on the front page to get ahold of my rabbi ASAP if something happens, so that someone familiar with Jewish law can be involved and help make sure things are done according to my wishes. I don't really think my family would deliberately act against my wishes, but they're also not Jewish, so I don't expect them to know what might be okay or not.

I also sure as hell wouldn't want a visit from some über-evangelical immediately following surgery or something, but I might want a rabbi to stop by, if there was one around.