Introduction

Created by the Maine Humanities Council, Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health Care® is a national award-winning, hospital-based, scholar-led humanities reading and discussion program for health care professionals that benefits both them and their patients.

The program encourages participants to connect the worlds of science and lived experience, giving them the opportunity to reflect on their professional roles and relationships through plays, short stories, poetry, fiction and personal narratives in a setting where they can share their reflections with colleagues. It has a significant effect on the way participants understand their work, and their relationships with patients and with each other. It is also an innovative and cost-effective way to improve patient care.

The Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities partners with the Maine Humanities Council to bring this program into health care facilities throughout Hawai‘i.  Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children and Queens Medical Center were the original two pilot programs in Hawai‘i, and we hope to add an additional two to three programs for 2008.