CNA Staff, Dec 17, 2020 / 14:00 pm
The Department of Health and Human Services has resolved another case of patients' access to clergy at hospitals, during the pandemic.
On Wednesday, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it resolved a religious discrimination complaint with Mr. Sinai Health System, which operates seven hospitals in New York.
A Jewish advocacy group filed a formal complaint with OCR on Aug. 5, alleging that Jewish patients at several hospitals in the Mt. Sinai system were unable to have clergy visit them in both COVID and non-COVID units during the pandemic.
OCR said it reached out and offered technical assistance to the hospital system, which clarified that its visitation policies allowed for a clergy member. The hospital updated its policies to make this clear, OCR said.