Course Author: The Rev. Sue Wintz, M.Div., BCC
 
This course, Delivery and Continuity of Care for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care will guide the learner through an overview of health care delivery and continuity of care with information, activities, and resources to increase understanding of the United States system. It will also encourage the learner to consider how chaplaincy and spiritual care is, is not, or can be delivered and continued throughout a person’s experience and health care journey. Learners will be provided with opportunities to articulate their new knowledge and consider practical ways to integrate it into their scope of practice, provision of care, best practices, and protocols as well as for consideration for quality improvement and research projects.
 
By the end of this course the learner will be able to:
	
Describe the components of the health care delivery system in the United States.
	
Identify the factors that impact continuity of care including barriers, challenges and opportunities.
	
Understand the elements of patient centered care.
	
Describe the components of multidisciplinary teamwork and the contributions of chaplains.
	
Identify and execute best practices for improving delivery and continuity of chaplaincy care.
 
Course Outline
	
Health Care Delivery in the United States
	
Main Characteristics of the U.S. Health Care System
	
U.S. Health Care Delivery Subsystems
	
Barriers in Health Care Delivery
	
Continuity of Care 6. Patient-Centered Care
	
Working with the Interdisciplinary Team
	
Chaplains and Delivery of Care
	
Summary
	
References