BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Compassus, a leading national provider of integrated, home-based care services, announced that Kurt Merkelz, MD, FAAHPM, Chief Medical Officer, and Sara Bailey, RN, area market executive, were selected as presenters at the 15th Annual Collective Soul Symposium, hosted virtually in collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center and The Institute for Spirituality and Health.
The symposium, held April 10–11, brought together nearly 200 health care professionals from across the country. According to event organizers, this year’s event was the largest in its history, reflecting a growing focus on whole-person, interdisciplinary care.
Merkelz and Bailey presented, “When Health Care, Community Services and Church Communities Work Together to Improve the Quality of Life of Patients Living with Complex Chronic Conditions.”
Their session explored how clinical teams, community partners and spiritual support systems can work together to better support patients facing serious illness and end-of-life care.
Key themes from the presentation included:
- Integrating spiritual care into clinical practice as a core component of care
- Recognizing and addressing spiritual distress alongside physical and emotional needs
- Creating environments where dignity, meaning and connection remain central, even when cure is no longer possible
The symposium featured leaders in palliative care, oncology and spiritual health, highlighting the importance of collaboration across disciplines.
“This symposium reinforces what we see every day — healing goes far beyond medical treatment,” Merkelz said. “When we align care with what matters most to patients and families, we create space for meaningful healing.”
“It was an honor to be part of this symposium and represent the work we are doing at Compassus,” Bailey said. “These conversations are critical as we continue to find better ways to support patients and families through serious illness.”
