Dr. IRIS KEYS (Coppin State Nursing Center) (Praying): ... asking you to send us what we need is to continue to heal her, Lord. We're just grateful today that the medication is working so all things can come together for those who love the Lord.I guess I'm unique because of being a physician and a minister. A lot of us are believers, but it's just something we don't usually bring to work.
MAUREEN BUNYAN: But that seems to be changing as more and more patients are asking their doctors to join them in prayer, and doctors are responding. A recent poll shows that seven out of 10 family physicians believe that doctors should pray with their patients if they request it.
Dr. KEYS: I think it's always been there. I just think that doctors are coming out of the closet.
Dr. DALE MATTHEWS (Georgetown University Medical Center): In one sense it's a revolution, but in another sense, it really is an evolution because in the past 25 years we've begun to understand that patients are not just simply biological machines that we need to fix like we do our cars, but that there are also important psychological and social issues.BUNYAN: Dale Matthews is one of those doctors who believes that prayer and spirituality can have a role in medical treatment.
Dr. MATTHEWS: (To patient): Hi, Joann.
JOANN: Hi, Dale, how are you doing today?
Dr. MATTHEWS: It goes without saying that we need to be very respectful of all patients' religious traditions. This is a medical business, and the purpose of talking about religion and spirituality as it affects health.
JOANN (To Doctor): ... Go to the quiet place and rest.
Dr. MATTHEWS (To Patient): Yes, that's very important. All of us need that rest and to be one with the Lord. We have research, from several hundred studies, actually, that shows that religious commitment is associated with beneficial health outcome. People who have a strong religious commitment live longer, and they're less likely to have medical illness, and they're more likely to recover from medical or surgical illness.
(Praying): We don't want to do anything without your presence. We just pray that your presence will always be with her and through her and around her; and walk with her and continue to encourage her and her spirit be powerful and her heart. ...In fact, we have data from two scientific studies that indicate that many patients, anywhere from a half to two thirds of patients, would actually like their doctor to pray with them. So if that's the case, we in the medical profession have to be responsive to that and figure out what we're going to do with this particular information.
BUNYAN: Dozens of U.S. medical schools are now teaching courses in spirituality and medicine, and research is being conducted at some of the most prestigious medical establishments to see just how the relationship between belief and health works.
For over 30 years, Harvard's Dr. Herbert Benson has studied the physiological changes that occur during repeated meditation or prayer. In his best-selling book, THE RELAXATION RESPONSE, he shows that patients can successfully battle a number of stress-related ills by repeating a word, a sound, or a prayer.
Dr. BENSON: I really am not a religious person, but scientifically, the data proved that belief is good for you. Belief can keep you alive.
Dr. JOHN LYNCH (Chairman, Bio-Ethics Committee, Washington Hospital Center): How you measure that in a scientific way, to say that the patient with religion and the patient with spirituality did better, I find extremely difficult. And I think that there's so many variables in any given situation, to say whether this is spirituality or whether this is medicine.
Dr. KEYS: We're taught in medical school to do a patient history, but we don't take nearly enough time to discuss the patient's religious foundation. And the doubting Thomases, I think if they would just take that opportunity to get to know the patient in that area, they'll find out that it does make a difference.
Dr. KEYS: ... that you and our Lord are worthy to be present.
