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According to the recent article about the proposed $1 billion partnership between the University of Minnesota and Essentia Health on academic medicine, “The proposal left a number of open questions, such as exactly how patients might eventually be affected” (“U, Essentia Health propose $1B partnership on academic medicine,” front page, Jan. 25).
This is a question that merits consideration. Essentia is the successor to St. Mary’s Hospital, founded by the Benedictine Sisters. It remains Catholic, despite its rebranding, as witnessed by the presence of four Benedictine Sisters on the Essentia board of directors.
Catholic hospitals are obliged to follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. These forbid “abortion,” which often means that women do not receive appropriate care when experiencing complications of pregnancy.
Less understood is the possibility that the directives might restrict end-of-life care. According to the directives, the hospital cannot honor an advance directive that is “contrary to Catholic teaching.” This may mean forcing patients to accept unwanted care — such as feeding tubes — and withholding other legal care that would ease the process of dying.
The University trains the majority of Minnesota’s health care workforce. If Essentia Health becomes a clinical training site for the University, this could limit training for and exacerbate shortages of reproductive health providers and hospice/end-of-life specialists. It would also mean that taxpayer money would support a religious institution that refuses to offer standard medical care.
Nancy Giguere, Grand Marais