As time evolved and developed, the structure of hospitals created by Christian influencers were still valued and the characteristics that were initially imposed by them became enforced even in today’s healthcare system. Christians left a stable foundation and reputation for the healthcare behind and were responsible for what it has come to today.
When the Enlightenment period and secularism, the separation of state and religious affiliations, began, it created less Christian enforced hospitals and the involvement of religion with healthcare. There were less Christian dominated hospitals, as there began to be a want and requirement for trained medical individuals, which created a decline in nuns and other ministers in the healthcare. It became more of a focus of educational and medical innovations and teachings than just curing the the poor with good faith.
Although, there was a decline in some regions of the world of the association of hospitals with religion, there was still an impact and existence in other parts, such as the United States. The Ascension Health Care System takes place and provides care in 78 hospitals across 21 states today and still idealizes the foundation of Christianity and healthcare correlated together.
Their mission statement reads:
“Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually-centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words” (Ascension).
The value of Catholicism stands strong in their system and we see how religion and faith is still relevant in the way patients are treated. The healthcare providers with Ascension idealize the way the sick are taken care of and advocate with a love through ministry and through understanding the patients as whole individuals.
The Origin of Hospitals 