It can be argued that the practice of medicine is not only the science of healing but also an art. In practicing the art of medicine, the physician must be cognizant of the importance of taking into account the patient’s emotional well-being. This consideration is the essence of providing good customer service, a concept that is all too often neglected when practicing the science of medicine. This concept does not involve the indulgence of the patient’s every demand, but we do have a responsibility to listen to our patients and honor requests within reason. This responsibility is paramount particularly when the request has a known association with better outcomes. Many patients express their desire to be prayed over preoperatively by a clergyman of their faith. Accommodating this request commonly results in delaying the start of surgery. Regardless of the inconvenience, this may impose on the surgical, anesthesiology, and OR staff, the patient’s emotional well-being is of primary importance, and the patient’s comfort level on entering the OR must be considered. This will enhance our ability as anesthesiologists to relax a patient and develop a healthy doctor-patient relationship. Also, if there is a true connection between the practice of faith and better outcomes, the time spent could make a difference in the patient’s healing. Ultimately, patients have rights, and one of those rights is to be free to practice one’s religion without restraint, regardless of whether those beliefs coincide with those of the physicians and the OR staff. As physicians, we are obligated to respect these rights and make any reasonable accommodation to preserve them.

There are few studies directly investigating prayer and outcomes in patient populations undergoing surgical interventions. Most of the studies attempting a randomized controlled design are focused on intercessory prayer (IP) for cardiac patients. IP is when one asks God, the universe, or some other higher power to intervene on behalf of an individual. Prior to the Study of the Therapeutic Effects of intercessory Prayer (STEP) trial published in 2006, there were four studies investigating IP in cardiac patients. The results were mixed. Two studies revealed a beneficial effect of prayer in coronary care unit (CCU) patients and two (one of CCU patients and the other of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization) showed no difference. The STEP trial studied approximately 1,800 patients in six U.S. hospitals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. There were three study groups: the first received prayer after being informed that they may or may
not receive prayer, the second did not receive prayer after being informed that they may or may not receive prayer, and the third group received IP after they were informed that they would receive prayer. The study concluded that IP had no effect on error-free recovery, and the certainty of receiving prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications.