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SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTHCARE...SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTHCARE...SPIRITUALITY IN

Hospice Physician Explores the Interplay of Medicine,

Hospice Care and Spirituality

When he was a young boy in Cuba, Diaz says. “It was considered a forbid- in patient assessments.
Pedro J. Diaz considered becoming a densubject. When I started practicing “Dr. Diaz’ excitement about learning to
Catholic priest. He pursued a medical medicine, I realized that the lack of spir- listen more deeply to the spiritual life of
degree instead, driven by an interest in ituality affected the population signifi- patients challenges all of us to be patient
medicine and the desire to marry and cantly, and I came to the realization that listeners as well, to hear the particular
have a family. faith is as important as medicine.” and personal stories of those in our care,
Dr. Diaz joined VITAS in 2009 as a Dr. Diaz migrated to the US in 1993, and to allow us to be touched by their
hospice physician specializing in the care and he practiced medicine in Miami from tender places and their courageous shar-
of terminally ill patients in their homes 1997-2009 before joining VITAS. ing of themselves in this sacred time of
throughout Dade and Monroe counties. Dr. Diaz pursued the CPE course to life.”
A decade later, at age 70, he decided to explore the emotional and spiritual Dr. Diaz now encourages other physi-
continue exploring the spiritual dynam- aspects of death. Typically offered to cians to explore the influence of spiritu-
ics of end-of-life care by taking a VITAS ministers and clergy, seminary students ality and beliefs on medical care, death
class in Clinical Pastoral Education and laity, CPE focuses on knowledge of and dying.
(CPE). It’s one way employees can con- various religious and spiritual belief sys- “Hospice counseling and spiritual
tinue to grow through their careers with tems, helping attendees develop pastoral guidance can be very beneficial for the
VITAS. care skills within healthcare settings. patient and the family who suffers
For Dr. Diaz, it meant deepening his around the patient,” he says. “Faith can
An Experienced Physician skills as a physician who oversees the bring peace of mind and religious recon-
and Clinical Pastoral medical care of terminally ill patients and Dr. Pedro J. Diaz, a VITAS hospice physician, ciliation by enhancing the search for a
Education Student their families. Providing care in the home grew his understanding of end-of-life deeper meaning of life and one's legacy.
During the nearly 20 years that he environment, he says, reinforced the spirituality through a VITAS class After taking the CPE course, I feel more
practiced internal medicine in Matanzas, need to understand the interplay of faith, in Clinical Pastoral Education. competent and capable of helping my
Cuba, Dr. Diaz remained a deeply spiri- religious beliefs and end-of-life care. patients from an emotional and spiritual
tual man. He was active in the Catholic Martha Rutland, director of CPE at standpoint.”
Church, and in 1980, he helped found Spirituality, Death and Dying VITAS, says his presence in the class
Caritas in Matanzas, a nongovernmental The CPE course “opened my eyes and helped fellow students understand the Article reprinted from VITAS®
organization that provides resources and diversified my knowledge of the different impact of cognition on doctor-patient Healthcare’s Hospice Career Insights.
support to vulnerable Cuban citizens and religions and ways we can approach faith communication and the importance of Visit www.vitas.com/careers/vitas-
families. with our terminally ill patients,” says Dr. including physical and spiritual factors hospice-career-insights for more stories.
“Spirituality was taboo in Cuba,” Dr. Diaz.

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