The mission of Bayhealth's Department of Pastoral Care is to provide for the spiritual and religious needs of our patients, families and staff by offering caring and committed pastoral support; to assist persons to live growth fully amidst the losses, conflicts and tragedies of life; to find and utilize their constructive sources of strength and to nurture spiritual wholeness.

Bayhealth Medical Center employs one full-time Chaplain, whose time is shared between Kent General and Milford Memorial Hospitals. The Department of Pastoral Care is responsible for the religious and spiritual care of patients and their families during their hospital stay. Our Chaplain coordinates the on-call and volunteer clergy programs at both Kent General and Milford Memorial Hospitals. On-call clergy and lay pastoral care volunteers represent over 40 congregations from Smyrna to Bridgeville, Delaware. The Bayhealth Medical Center Department of Pastoral Care has been a local sponsor of the Hospice Foundation of America Grief Teleconference since 1998.

The Department of Pastoral Care also offers grief support for adults experiencing loss. To inquire about individual or group grief support, call Bayhealth's Consumer Health Education Department at (toll-free) 1-877-453-7107 or the Chaplain's office.

Bayhealth encourages visitation by the patient's own clergy. At the patient or family's request, Bayhealth will advise the clergy of the patient or family's wish for visitation, religious ritual or Sacrament.

Pastoral care services include:

  • Bedside Communion available upon request
  • Visits to patients and family members to provide emotional and spiritual support
  • Comfort and support during times of crisis, loss and grief and support in making difficult decisions.
  • Assistance with religious rituals such as scripture, prayer and the Sacraments
  • Notification of patient's own pastor for support, on request
  • Regularly scheduled worship services
  • Individual or group counseling, prayer meetings or discussions
  • Spiritual care literature
  • Ministry to persons of diverse spiritual and religious traditions
  • 24-hour access to pastoral support by the Chaplain or on-call Chaplain
  • Chapel available 24 hours a day for prayer, meditation, ritual or special services

A Chaplain may be called when a patient or family member:

  • Receives a difficult diagnosis
  • Experiences a decline in condition
  • Expresses concern about life's meaning and purpose
  • Asks to see a Chaplain
  • Expresses the need to forgive or be forgiven
  • Requests religious ritual-prayer, scripture, Sacrament
  • Faces decisions regarding treatment
  • Pastoral support may be requested by any member of the patient's care team, the patient or a family member.

A Chaplain may be called when a staff member:

  • Requests support after sudden, difficult or multiple losses
  • Wishes to explore spiritual issues
Kent General Hospital Pastoral Care Services (302) 744-7187
Milford Memorial Hospital Pastoral Care Services (302) 430-5941
Pastoral Care Services Pager (302) 677-9946