The "what religion" question at hospital is just to help hospital chaplains know which rooms to stop by (or which church to call if things go badly).

In the US a credentialed visiting clergyperson used to be able to look at the daily census to see if any of his/her folks were in. Now HIPA precludes that courtesy; hooking them up with patients who want a visit falls to floor nurses who MIGHT look at that question on the chart and who might, or might not, make the time to ask social services to make a phone call to the clergy.

Parish members don't always know that this used to work that way, and that it has changed. In an accusatory tone: "I was having an OPERATION!!! Why didn't you come to SEE me!?!?!?"

~S~