Pastoral care

At Research Medical Center, we recognize the importance of the integration of healthcare for the whole person — physical, emotional and spiritual. So, any time of day, you and your loved ones can turn to the Pastoral Care Department for emotional, spiritual and religious support.

We always respect your faith or nonreligious preferences. We can help translate your experience and values, allowing the medical team to better understand you as a whole person. We advocate for you and your family to be meaningful participants in your healthcare and facilitate access to and use of clinical services across the hospital.

Chaplaincy is unique and often referred to as "ministry of presence." Chaplains are trained to identify and address your spiritual and emotional needs. Most importantly, our chaplains listen to what is important to you.

A few ways a chaplain could be useful to you:

• Listening to you — it is important to be heard
• Exploring your grief
• Offering strategies for adjusting to life after illness or injury
• Helping articulate your values to providers so they can consider them in your care plan
• Developing spiritual care plans
• Providing spiritual and emotional support
• Exploring coping strategies that work for you
• Understanding Advance Directives
• Contacting specific faith communities

To contact a chaplain, an imam, a priest, a rabbi or other clergy, ask the nurse assigned to your care to page the chaplain-on-call or call the Pastoral Care Department directly at (816) 276-4120.

As an expression of our personal concern, and in support of our feeling that the life of each individual is of the highest value, the Pastoral Care team at Research Medical Center invite you and your close family and friends to a Memorial Service in honor of your loved one, whom we were privileged to have served prior to their passing. For those who are able to gather in-person, we welcome you to join us. There is also a virtual option for those who are not able.