The Prairie Landscape

Eligibility & Guidelines: Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare®

The Illinois Humanities Council chooses hospitals for participation in this program. The IHC provides a facilitator for the discussions, books for all participants, and a coordinator at the IHC who works closely with the facilitator and the hospital liaison as a resource and coordinator. The first six-month seminar is offered at no cost to the hospital. However, after that first seminar, we begin a cost-share for the program. We have calculated that the cost of one six-month Literature and Medicine program is $3,000. We ask that participating hospitals share that cost at 50%, for a total of $1500, made payable directly to the IHC. The IHC continues to secure the services of the facilitator, provide books and materials, and Phoebe Stein Davis continues to administer the program from the IHC offices with you.

Here is what we need logistically from any hospital to get the program started:

Identify someone on your staff to work as our hospital liaison, who will promote the program internally and recruit participants. This person also works on the reading list with the facilitator and secures space for monthly meetings and orders whatever form of refreshment you provide. It is essential that this person be committed to the success of the program. This person will, on average, spend 6 hours organizing each six-month session, and is required to attend each seminar (an additional 12 hours) and keep track of participants. The hospital absorbs the minimal cost for promoting the program internally (photocopying, etc.)

Please note: Once identified, your hospital liaison must participate in an IHC training before your program can begin.

Secure a meeting place that is comfortable and conducive to discussions. If at all possible, this should be the same location each time to avoid confusion.

Provide a snack or light meal for each session. We find this is a nice way to gather the group to “break bread” before discussions begin (or while they happen).

Commit to registering as many as 25 participants in the seminar, but no fewer than 10.

We also ask that the seminar participants reflect the diversity of healthcare workers at your hospital. Ideal seminars have nurses, doctors, administrators, trustees, cafeteria and spiritual care staff.