It was a thoughtful process that took nine years to bring to fruition. Reams of data and research from well-known medical institutions reinforce the belief that spirituality positively influences health. Patients who did not get solace from their faith had more than three times the death rate of those that did. A survey of 296 doctors, taken at an October 1996 meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians, indicated that nearly all of them felt a person's faith could help the physical healing process. Seventy-five percent thought the prayer of others might help.
Many doctors already incorporate spirituality into their practices.
Dr. William Mitchell, co-founder of Bastyr, believes spirituality is one of the most important aspects of health care. I always talk about spirituality with patients and they respond positively. If you can't talk about spirituality, you are practicing medicine with one foot in a concrete bucket. Many doctors outside the sphere of Bastyr share the same views. Dr. David D. Sherry, director of pediatric rheumatology at Children's Hospital in Seattle, gathers information about children's activities when he takes a general medical history.