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George Fitchett, PhD; Kenneth Rasinski, PhD; Wendy Cadge, PhD; Farr A. Curlin, MD

Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(19):1808-1810.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Religion and spirituality (R/S) are important resources for coping with serious illnesses, but research indicates that patients' R/S needs often go unmet.¹ Professional chaplains help patients make effective use of R/S resources in the context of illness,² but one-third of US hospitals do not have chaplains.³ Even hospitals with chaplaincy programs rarely have sufficient staff to address the needs of all patients. Given these constraints, physicians and other clinical staff play critical roles in directing chaplains to patients who will benefit from their services.⁴ Unfortunately, little is known about physicians' experience with and impressions of chaplains.

Most physicians have little training to guide referrals to chaplains. Some evidence suggests that in the absence of such training, physicians' referral patterns are shaped by their own R/S values and experiences.^5-6 Physicians' referrals may also be shaped by their understanding, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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