Story Archives of 'hmong'

Hospitals in the U.S. evolved following scientific principals and traditions of Western medicine. In our immigrant nation, those practices may conflict with a patient’s belief systems and notions of healing.

Hospitals in St. Paul, Minn., have served a large population of Hmong people from northern Laos since the 1970s. Over time, hospital administrators have learned to incorporate some Hmong practices into routine treatments by inviting spiritual healers inside patient wards.

This collaboration between Eastern and Western beliefs is part of a growing trend in hospitals to make concessions that can help them keep sick patients in medical care. Hospital administrators have turned off smoke detectors, cleared out surgical rooms, and extended visiting hours to accommodate Hmong healers.

Joining us to talk about this is Kathie Culhane-Pera, the associate medical director for West Side Community Health Services in St. Paul.

The New York Times: A Doctor for Disease, a Shaman for the Soul

(Photo courtesy UC Davis Health System)