Establishing the Chaplain Role in a Primary Care Clinic Setting

In 2019, a full-time chaplain was placed in the Golden Cross Academic Clinic (GCAC), with the chaplain's focus being in the primary care internal medicine department. While research exists regarding chaplains in the inpatient setting, research regarding the presence of a full-time chaplain in a primary care setting as well as the topics patients discuss with that chaplain are limited.

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Key information

Conditions

Emotional Disorder

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Methodist Dallas Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75203, United States

About this study

A few studies conducted in the hospital setting have shown what topics patients typically discuss with a chaplain. In the article, "Patients and Loved Ones' Expectations of Chaplain Services. Munchausen and colleagues present that the two highest-rated services performed by chaplains were spiritual and emotional support. This study also found that patients wanted to see a chaplain for the following reasons: to be listened to, to be with in times of anxiety, to offer support to loves ones, to remind of God's care and presence, to pray, for religious rituals, to assist with the understanding of advance care planning documents, and to counsel regarding moral or ethical decisions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

• Patient at the GCAC who are > 18 years old

Met with a member of the on-staff chaplaincy during a visit to GCAC

Exclusion criteria

• Patient did not meet with a member of the on-staff chaplaincy during a visit to GCAC

Treatment and study plan

Counseling

Behavioral

To introduce a model of holistic care to the patient populations served by the GCAC through chaplain interventions that focus on spiritual and emotional health.

Other names: Chaplain interventions, Model of holistic care

Primary outcomes

Number of times chaplain is requested by patient or provider

Time frame: 1 year

Number of request from the patients or provider for chaplain
Usefulness, feasibility, and reception of screening mechanism for GCAC staff

Time frame: 1 year

Develop a screening mechanism that allow GCAC staff to identify patients who could benefit from spiritual and emotional support.
Themes discussed during meeting between chaplain and patient

Time frame: 1 year

Explore themes from patient conversations with a chaplain
Number of meetings/conversations pertaining to each theme identified

Time frame: 1 year

Theme identified for the number of meetings/conservations

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Methodist Health System

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jan 25, 2024
Registry last updated: Mar 23, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed