AI, Chaplaincy, and the Future of Healthcare

Healthcare and Religion Lecture Mary Moon, MTS MD candidate, University of Pittsburgh The Rev. Gaea Thompson, MDiv Manager, Pastoral Care, UPMC Presbyterian/Montefiore Hospital Diplomate Supervisor for Clinical Pastoral Education, College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy Jonathan Weinkle, MD, FAAP, FACP Clinical Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Chief Medical Officer, Squirrel Hill Health Center AI is reshaping how patients seek answers, how physicians spend their time, and how we make meaning from illness. But what happens to human presence when the algorithm enters the room? This talk explores AI at the intersection of healthcare, spirituality, and the search for meaning. We'll open with a brief look at how AI is currently viewed across religious traditions and what the rise of the "digital-first" patient means for the people who sit at the bedside. Then, we'll hear from clinical care and chaplaincy on the front lines: how AI is changing their work, what patients are sharing, and what presence looks like in an age of large language models. Whether it's a patient turning to a chatbot before a chaplain, or an AI scribe freeing a physician to finally make eye contact — this is a conversation about what technology reveals about what we need most from each other. Continuing medical education credit will be available for those in attendance. Co-sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies, Jewish Studies Program, and Palliative and Supportive Institute Catalog of Opportunities Event