Transforming Chaplaincy promotes evidence-based spiritual care and integrate research into professional practice and education by fostering a culture of inquiry
Transforming Chaplaincy Webinars - February 2026
Chaplains are increasingly challenged to show outcomes of their work. However, current standardized instrument do not always fit the context of chaplaincy well. The Dutch Chaplaincy Outcome Measure was designed to remedy some of these issues: It was (a) designed with chaplains, their colleagues and their clients to (b) assess outcomes they deemed central to chaplaincy and (c) with a method that is standardized but matches the qualitative nature of chaplaincy. In this webinar, Dr. Anja Visser will introduce the instrument and how it was developed. She will be joined by respondent, Dr. Csaba Szilagyi. Presenter: Dr. Anja Visser is assistant professor in spiritual care at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. This research was part of the Knowledge Hub on Meaning and Spiritual Care (2021-2024). Dr. Visser was projectleader of a research group within this Knowledge Workplace, focusing on goals, needs, interventions and outcomes of chaplaincy in primary, outpatient and community care. Respondent: Dr. Csaba Szilagyi is Transforming Chaplaincy's Director and an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical Center, where he also directs research in the Department of Religion, Health and Human Values. He is also an ACPE educator.
|
In this talk, Dr. Smith will introduce a novel design framework called “SPIRIT" (Spiritual Prerequisites and Innovative dimensions for Integrating Technology) developed in her lab to guide the expansion of spiritual care into digital realms. She will begin by presenting an operational definition of "spiritual care” derived through co-design work with chaplains. This definition can help to establish common ground between spiritual care clinicians and technology designers by shifting away from transactional support models toward relational accompaniment and compassionate presence. The presentation will then detail three essential sociotechnical prerequisites for meaningful engagement (openness to care, the cultivation of a safe space, and the ability to discern and articulate spiritual needs), and six key design dimensions such as the appropriate degree of technology use, loving presence, and meaning-making. To illustrate these principles in action, she will discuss examples ranging from established social platforms like CaringBridge to emerging research on Reddit and interactive AI-based prototypes for spiritual care screening. Finally, she will conclude by exploring future directions for spiritual innovation. She will be joined by respondent, Alex Schapiro. Presenter: Dr. C. Estelle Smith is a computer science professor specialized in human-computer interaction (HCI). Dr. Smith's research with CaringBridge (an online health communication platform) has articulated a deep need for technology designers to center users’ spiritual needs during serious illness, leading her to develop an interdisciplinary research agenda grounded in collaboration with clinical spiritual care. Respondent: Alex Beth Schapiro is the manager of a Digital Spiritual Health program within the Accountable Care Organizations at Atlantic Health in Northern New Jersey. Alex also co-convenes Transforming Chaplaincy's Population Health & Digital Spiritual Care research network.
|
|
Transforming Chaplaincy
Transforming Chaplaincy promotes evidence-based spiritual care and integrate research into professional practice and education by fostering a culture of inquiry
What Do Chaplains Do? Send Us Your Best Elevator Speech Workshop, Friday, June 12, 10:45 am-12:15 pmAPC 2026 Annual Meeting, New Orleans (photo credit: derrick treadwell_unsplash) Chaplains’ clinical and administrative colleagues frequently have a limited understanding of what we do. Providing these colleagues with a clear, simple description of our work is one of a chaplains’ most important skills. You are invited to submit your best 150 word elevator speech about what chaplains do for a...
Upcoming Webinars Introducing the Dutch Chaplaincy Outcome MeasureFebruary 19, 11 AM - Noon (CST) (L-R: Drs. Anja Visser and Csaba Szilagyi) Chaplains are increasingly challenged to show outcomes of their work. However, current standardized instrument do not always fit the context of chaplaincy well. The Dutch Chaplaincy Outcome Measure was designed to remedy some of these issues: It was (a) designed with chaplains, their colleagues and their clients to (b) assess outcomes they deemed central...
Upcoming Webinars Introducing the Dutch Chaplaincy Outcome MeasureFebruary 19, 11 AM - Noon (CST) (L-R: Drs. Anja Visser and Csaba Szilagyi) Chaplains are increasingly challenged to show outcomes of their work. However, current standardized instrument do not always fit the context of chaplaincy well. The Dutch Chaplaincy Outcome Measure was designed to remedy some of these issues: It was (a) designed with chaplains, their colleagues and their clients to (b) assess outcomes they deemed central...