Managing the Medical and the Ministry

For Pregnancy Centers that are offering medical services in addition to ministry services, balance and integrity is needed. In the hostile climate we work in today with the attacks that are often waged from pro-abortion opponents against Pregnancy Centers, we must adhere to strict standards of care. In doing so, we are ministering to our clients with integrity and we are protecting the operations God has entrusted to us.

Many years ago, as a new Executive Director of a Pregnancy Medical Clinic, I quickly realized that there were many medical guidelines to adhere to. Ensuring that medical personnel are discussing medical information with clients and that we are always truthful that our ultrasound scans are limited in scope is important. There are so many areas in the medical aspects of ministry that we must ensure that our standards are impeccable. This means not only in education that we offer our clients but education that we offer the public about our medical services as well.

It is a great benefit to a Pregnancy Medical Clinic to give tours to possible new partners and allow your medical team to share about the medical services with your guests. As they discuss scanning and resources offered, a client story can be shared of how a couple that was undecided in their pregnancy now had their fears eased and chose life. Maybe it will be a client story of a couple seeking pregnancy resources, uninsured and possibly unemployed and were able to receive assistance. It then becomes obvious to our partners and visitors that our medical services are also a ministry to those we serve.

We must maintain balance so that clients are not overwhelmed with information but enlightened to truth through the pregnancy counseling and the medical services. Balance is essential in sharing education and resources with women and men in crisis.

It has been said that a person feeling they are in a crisis, can only remember 3 concepts at a time so train your team to identify the 3 pieces of information that each client needs on an individual basis during their visit. This will help equip, support and empower a woman and/or man that visits your Pregnancy Center to make an informed decision.

Managing the medical and the ministry becomes, shall we say, manageable when balance and integrity are the foundation.