For the past 40+ years I have been a chaplain at varying times in a city hospital, a community mental health center, an academic medical center, a community not for profit hospital setting. I have seen patients from all places on the economic spectrum, gender, disease modalities, injuries, emotional difficulties and reactions and more. I have seen the staffs that work with these people – some of whom are bright, curious, well educated and highly motivated; and some who are simply putting in their hours of the job, dull in mind and spirit, and uncaring.

Tom Murray, president of The Hastings Center, discussed how and why health reform should reflect our values in an interview on NPR’s Science Friday.