PALTC23 Conference Recordings FR09 Effect of Spiritual Values on Medical-Decision Making: Enhancement of Provider Communication

Effect of Spiritual Values on Medical-Decision Making: Enhancement of Provider Communication

Medical decision-making is complex and often overwhelming for residents and families. Complicated family systems may impact decision-making. Recognizing the spiritual values of residents and families can improve communication and assist in decision-making for residents, families, and providers. Spiritual values of providers and moral injury are not well recognized when developing treatment plans. Chaplains can assist in identifying spiritual values which contribute to value-concordant care. This presentation will explore spiritual values of elders, families, and providers which effect medical-decision making. The presenters bring experience as medical provider, nursing home administer, and chaplain, giving a unique perspective on the issues presented in this session.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this session, learners will be able to:

  • Incorporate resident and family spiritual values in decision-making when recommending a treatment plan.
  • Recognize spiritual values that may create resistance to decision-making by residents or family.
  • Formulate inventory of provider spiritual values that may impact provider treatment recommendations.

Rev. MaryAnne Totten, MD, MPH, FACP

Rev. MaryAnne Totten, MD, MPH, FACP, practiced primary care medicine for thirty-five years and geriatric medicine for fifteen years before turning her focus to the spirituality of elders. Dr. Totten had been a Certified Medical Director for two facilities in Manchester, NH, and worked with Senior Health Primary Care in Manchester. She was ordained as an interfaith minister by the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine in 2019, and then completed two units of clinical pastoral education at Havenwood Heritage Heights in Concord, NH.

Rev. Sarah McEvoy, NHA, JD, MDiv.

Rev. Sarah McEvoy, NHA, JD, MDiv., has served in Long Term Care for over thirty eight years, holding positions in Dietary, Recreation, and Social Work. After thirty-two years as a licensed nursing home administrator, Sarah retired from Long Term Care to study health care chaplaincy. Sarah holds a Master's in Divinity from Rawlings School of Divinity and a Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law. She is currently working towards Board Certification as a health care chaplain and was ordained as an interfaith chaplain through the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine in 2022.

  • 1.0 CME
  • 1.0 CMD Management
  • 1.0 MOC

Release Date: 03/29/2023   |   Expiration: 03/01/2026

Credit Statements:

Accreditation: Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

CME Designation: Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CMD Credit Hours: This CME activity has been pre-approved by the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (ABPLM) for up to 1.0 management hour(s) toward certification or recertification as a Certified Medical Director (CMD) in post-acute and long-term care medicine. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit actually spent on the activity.

The CMD Program is administered by the ABPLM. For further information, contact ABPLM at 410-992-3117 or at cmd@paltmed.org.

ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC): Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.0 Medical Knowledge MOC points and patient safety credit in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.

Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Financial Disclosure Statement:

The Association requires the disclosure of all speaker/faculty/planner’s relevant financial relationships; presence of off-label use of a device or medication; and discussion of any experimental, new or evolving topic prior to each accredited education activity.

If the learner perceives any bias toward a commercial product or service, advocation of unscientific approaches to diagnosis or therapy, or recommendation, treatment, or manners of practicing healthcare that are determined to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients please report this to the Association's staff.


The following speaker(s) disclosed relevant financial relationship(s): 

  • Julie Gammack, MD, CMD (Planner & Speaker): Stockholder: Amarin
  • Kenya Rivas Velasquez, MD, CMD, FAAFP (Planner & Speaker): OptumRx: Stockholder
  • All other planners, speakers, and AMDA staff have no relationships with ineligible companies.

All relevant financial relationships have been identified and mitigated.

Components visible upon registration.