Why a Habit of Discernment Is Crucial for Catholic Health Care

Discernment, a deliberative process long used by Christian religious communities, has been increasingly used in business settings because of its capacity to broaden the discussion beyond technical frameworks that shape business disciplines. At the same time, however, the assumptions and practices that were foundational for religious communities in the past need to be critically reexamined to allow the tradition of discernment to enrich decision-making in contemporary Catholic health care. For this reason, Trinity Health recently updated and revised its framework and guidelines for discernment, helping to further actualize its mission and values in service to the common good.