As US president Donald Trump signs the “Big Beautiful Bill” into law, Seventh-day Adventist medical institutions across North America are reaffirming their commitment to “whole-person care.” The new legislation, which includes sweeping tax breaks and Medicaid changes, is expected to reshape access to health care for millions of low-income Americans.

“The stressors we are feeling are not unique; it is felt across the nation,” said Lancel Tan, a physician and chief operations officer for the Faculty Medical Group at Loma Linda University Health.

The law, signed on July 6, 2025, includes nearly 900 pages of tax breaks and spending cuts, significantly impacting Medicaid, a government program in the US that provides health insurance for low-income adults and children.

The bill was signed during the 62nd General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, held in St. Louis, Missouri. With thousands of church leaders and members from around the world gathered, the moment offered a unique opportunity for the five major Adventist health-care systems to reaffirm their belief that health care is more than a service, it’s a ministry. 

Inside the exhibit hall, these health-care systems are showcasing why they view health care as a ministry and not merely an institutional presence.

A Mission beyond Politics

Ann Roda, vice president of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care at Adventist HealthCare, noted that the health-care system’s proximity to Washington, DC, places it at the heart of the nation’s political discourse.

“Health care is being attacked,” Roda said. “At Adventist HealthCare, we don’t let the noise of politics dictate how we are going to serve our community. Our focus is creating a safe place to be able to concentrate on our patients and their wholeness.”

Though the passage and signing of the bill happened to coincide with the 62nd GC Session, it has presented the opportunity for Adventist medical institutions to highlight the practice of whole-person care.

What Is Whole-Person Care?
Whole-person care is a foundational principle of Adventist health ministry, dating back more than 150 years to the church’s earliest health care programs. According to the AdventHealth website, it’s an approach that addresses not only a patient’s physical needs, but also their mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

“Whole-person care not only addresses the physical, but also prioritizes the mental and spiritual aspect of your patient,” Tan said.

As a pulmonary critical care physician, Tan gave his perspective on the value of integrating faith with medicine. 

“The sickest of the sick are who I see,” Tan said. “Practicing faith-based mission work while in a hospital is difficult because patients are seeking more than a clinical answer. They are looking for a sense of hope, and sometimes the medical realm can’t provide that.”

Tan emphasized that though the medical world can’t always provide a cure for a patient, there is hope in being able to turn to a God of miracles.

“In those moments, I’ll turn to them and ask questions related to faith, God, and prayer,” Tan said. “This flips the script because they now see a medical team not only relying on their formal training but also relying on a Creator that can make anything happen.”

The Chaplain’s Role in Whole-Person Care
An integral part of operating a hospital or clinic under the whole-person care model is having a well-rounded medical team that includes a chaplain.

Raul Concha serves as the staff chaplain at Kettering Health Miamisburg. When people ask which church he pastors, he simply replies, “Kettering Health Miamisburg.”

“Spiritual distress impacts your health,” Concha said. “We do daily visits, sometimes twice a day, for our patients. Often, people will say, ‘I’m not a Christian, and I don’t believe in God,’ and I respond, ‘That’s OK. I just want to see how you’re doing.’”

 It’s from that small interaction, Concha added, that conversations often turn spiritual.

“Some patients start off wanting nothing to do with chaplains, then end up being the ones asking for visits because of the comfort it brought them,” Concha said. 

Stephanie Grant, the director of Spiritual Care for Adventist HealthCare, affirmed the chaplain’s essential role in whole-person care.

“Every frontline caregiver is a generalist,” Grant said. “They can pray, hold a hand, and detect what's on the surface. But when longer support is needed, you call the specialist — and for spiritual health, that is the chaplain.”

She emphasized that mission work is not only Bible studies and baptisms; it is meeting people where they are. 

Whole-Person Care in Action

Raul Ayala, ambulatory medical officer and family medicine physician at Adventist Health, said that building strong relationships with patients can play a significant role in improving care outcomes. 

He shared the story of a 73-year-old patient who had been with his clinic for more than two years. They maintained a healthy diet, exercised regularly, and, although they had a few mild health conditions, they were well managed. However, over the course of those two years, they suffered from intense migraines.

“We did CT scans, MRIs, neurology appointments, and nothing could be found,” Ayala said.

After exhausting all medical options, Ayala asked whether there was anything going on in their life that might be contributing to the migraines. 

The patient revealed that their son was in prison and had been denied the possibility of parole, admitting that they felt they had no one to turn to.

“Patients don’t realize that outside stressors connect to your physical health,” Ayala said.

After addressing the underlying stressor and using wholistic approaches, such as coaching and strategies to manage intrusive thoughts, the patient is now able to control their symptoms without migraine medication.

“There is a stress behind being in health care, but when you know God is your friend and your counselor, it’s a reminder that you are not doing it alone,” Ayala said. “There is a divine power with you.” 

The Corporate Point of View 

Mission isn’t contained in the walls of a hospital or clinic. Elias De Oliveira, director of Mission Media and Production at AdventHealth, says corporate helps ensure the foundational work of the church and whole-person care is embedded throughout the organization. 

“The mission of our organization is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ,” De Oliveira. 

Kleber Goncalves, director of mission communication and continuity at AdventHealth, emphasized De Oliveira’s point.

“We at corporate produce resources that can assist in bridging services to community members and team members,” Goncalves said. 

One impactful way the AdventHealth corporate team carries out its mission is through partnerships with companies such as the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. 

According to the Walt Disney World Resort website: 

“AdventHealth is the official health care provider at Walt Disney World Resort, offering a network of services to Guests – including urgent care, doctor visits, prescription delivery, equipment delivery and more.” 

United in Mission

Amid the noise of politicians and health-care shifts, Seventh-day Adventist medical institutions are united in a shared goal, and that is to administer the love of Jesus through the practices of whole-person care. 

“When the patient, the physician, and the medical team turn their focus to God, it changes everything,” Tan said.

For more information about the 2025 General Conference session, visit http://www.gcsession.org. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.