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Applied in 2007

The Janus Project

The Cedar Tree Institute

Program Facts

  • Paid (FTE) Staff Working: 3
  • Program Participants Last Year: 2000
  • Meets about 4 time(s) with each participant per month
  • Participants remain in the program for 12 months

Volunteers

Volunteers per month: 4

Volunteers are trained:

Volunteer Training
AlwaysRarely

Volunteers are actively recruited:

Volunteer Recruiting
AlwaysRarely

Board Activities

  • Formally reviews the performance of the chief executive officer at least once every two years.
  • Formally approves the budget.
  • Ensures that arrangements with outside fund raising firms are made in writing.
  • Receives information about the financial arrangements with such firms and, if applicable, the anticipated portion of the gross proceeds that goes to the organization.
  • Has formally approved a conflict of interest policy and regularly monitors it to ensure adherence.
  • Receives, at least quarterly, the organization's financial statement.
  • Receives, at least annually, an auditor's management letter and report.
  • Convenes an audit committee.

Outcomes & Measures: (self-reported)

Outcome 1
Develop skills to provide quality care at the “end-of-life” including empathy, compassion and an element of reverence.

Measure
Evaluations at the end of training , continuing medical education (CME) credits with Bell Memorial Hospital.

Outcome 2
Increase self-awareness of the strength and weaknesses of participants involving professional care skills

Measure
Personal interviews and consultations with participants following training sessions.

Outcome 3
Deeper Level of appreciation and respect for interdisciplinary medical care for the end-of-life care for medical patients.

Measure
Followup survey of relationships between participants at 12 faith-based shared programs, workshops and seminars including the relationships between doctors and other healthcare workers who are put on a level playing field where everyone is equal.

Outcome 4
All participants (doctors, other healthcare workers) have a better understanding of their and co-worker duties and feelings because everyone is on an “equal ground” during training. The healthcare professionals develop a better respect for each other and their duties because during training, doctors have the same status as every healthcare worker including everyone is on a first name basis, everyone speaks equally, and all opinion and thoughts care the same weight.

Measure
Feedback from everyone involved in training, and trainers witness outcomes because they “watch it happen” during training sessions.

Outcome 5
Increased cooperation and creation of new projects/programs between hospices, faith communities and local physicians on a wide range of “end-of-life” care from spiritual to medical.

Measure
The number of partnerships and coalitions that develop because of the Janus Project including 12 shared programs, workshops and seminars. The 12 shared programs include a “faith-based health initiative” across northern Michigan that is in its early planning stages and involves 9 faith traditions and all Upper Peninsula medical providers.

Change Process: (self-reported)

Through faith-based training, the Janus Project teaches doctors and other healthcare workers a wide-range of skills for providing thoughtful and compassionate care for “end-of-life” patients including the spiritual needs.

Participants are educated on ways to provide compassionate care to low-income under-served rural residents who have been overlooked by other projects.

Training includes putting doctors and healthcare workers on a level playing field where honest and heart-felt discussions can address sensitive "end-of-life" issues not addressed in the workplace environment.

The level playing field allows the average healthcare worker to express their true feelings about ed-of-life care to doctors without fear of reprisal, while doctors also educate the workers on challenges faced by physicians when providing compassionate care.

Participants leave with better skills on dealing with each other and the patients; and that translates into more respect between all involved.

The Janus Projects provides tools for healthcare professionals to use in mixing faith-based and/or spiritual care with traditional mainstream medical care that often overlooks the emotional needs of those facing the end of their life.

Economists have described in great detail the challenges facing the chronically unemployed and low income in rural northern Michigan describing the Upper Peninsula as the “Second Appalachia.”

The skills include providing specialized spiritual support for those from a rural, low income background.

Doctors and other healthcare workers leave with a better knowledge on how they can work as a team in providing this spiritual end of life care.