Religious directives at many hospitals threaten patient safety

According to ABC News, one out of every six Americans receive care at a hospital that adheres to certain religious doctrines which have led to patient harm in the past. Like physicians, hospitals have a duty of care to adhere to certain medically recognized standards when treating patients. If a facility fails to honor its patient duty of care, it may be held accountable for hospital negligence. When religious doctrine and patient standards of care collide, patients may suffer serious consequences justified by tenants of a faith they may or may not practice.

Recently, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a claim on behalf of a pregnant patient who was harmed while being treated at a Catholic hospital due to religious doctrine advanced by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. While Catholic patients may request treatment in line with this doctrine, many patients who are treated at Catholic hospitals have little or no reason to risk their health over religiously motivated medical choices. And unfortunately, many individuals only have access to facilities that choose to enforce medical decisions informed by religious doctrine.

In the case against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the ACLU is arguing that guidelines issued by the organization led to substandard care for the plaintiff. These guidelines are not mandatory, but institutions that fail to adhere to them risk losing their status as a Catholic facility, which may affect their funding and other important assets. Unfortunately, these guidelines may affect both end of life care decisions impacting patients, as well as emergency abortion care required to save the lives of pregnant women. 

Source: ABC News, “Debate Over Catholic Directives That Affect 13 Percent of US Hospitals,” Gillian Mohney, Dec. 9, 2013