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Tuesday 6 October 2015

Religion and hospitals

In parts of America, most hospitals are run by religiously-inspired (faith-based) organisations.

That's a horrifying thought. Because if a medical procedure goes against the faith system of the hospital, they won't provide it. I don't think that there are any Jehovah's Witness-based hospitals, but if there were, you wouldn't get blood transfusions there. Or maybe a faith-based doctor decides that your best treatment would be to be prayed for?

As a practical matter, a Roman Catholic hospital might refuse to perform a procedure that would kill the fetus but save the mother.

So maybe you could choose to only go to a secular hospital? Good luck with that; when you need emergency treatment, you don't usually get to make a considered, informed choice. Plus, there's no requirement on a faith-based hospital to disclose which procedures they would refuse to do.

Thank god for out own dear NHS!


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