Commentary: The Practice of Empathy

Abstract

In response to the articles in this issue about measuring physician empathy by Hojat and colleagues, Di Lillo and colleagues, and Kataoka and colleagues, this commentary further explores the concept of empathy. It is posited that empathy is an emotion important to medical care, but it is emphasized that it really doesn't matter whether empathy is a thought or an emotion. Retaining or enhancing it in medical care givers is worth doing and may be achieved through (1) the selection of medical students and others who will care for the sick, (2) the training caretakers receive, and more fundamentally even, (3) reconsideration of what doctors do in a world so much changed and so diverse.Empathy is the foundation of patient care, and it should frame the skills of the profession. It may be that empathy can be taught by example, but the minds of students, like soil, must be prepared before they can nourish seeds of knowledge, and in some soils little grows. Physicians must have the time to listen to their patients. Listening can create empathy--if physicians remain open to be moved by the stories they hear. Empathy has always been and will always be among a physician's most essential tools of practice.

Empathy Levels in First- and Third-Year Students in Health and Non-Health Disciplines

“…3 There are significant gender differences in empathy. 1 Women are considered more inherently empathic, and women outscored men in empathy across all years of medical training.…”

“…2 Empathy is viewed as an important attribute for medical caregivers. 3 According to Spiro, "empathy is the foundation of patient care, and it should frame the skills of the profession." 3 Empathy is the cornerstone of patient-physician relationships 4 and should characterize all healthcare relationships, 5 including that between patients and pharmacists.…”

“…3 According to Spiro, "empathy is the foundation of patient care, and it should frame the skills of the profession." 3 Empathy is the cornerstone of patient-physician relationships 4 and should characterize all healthcare relationships, 5 including that between patients and pharmacists. In particular, empathy significantly influences adherence to medical recommendations, 6,7 reduces medical errors, 8 increases patient satisfaction, 9 and increases physician well-being.…”

Clarifying empathy: the first step to more humane clinical care

“…6 Spiro argues that physicians must have the time to listen to patients. 7 However, medicine's positivist view prioritises technical progress, evidencebased medicine, targets, and efficiency, so risking a view of patients solely as objects of intellectual interest.…”

Study on Empathy among Undergraduate Students of the Medical Profession in Nepal

“…Anecdotal observations among stakeholders in health, including patients have supported the assertion that trained health workers have largely lost these virtues, especially in developing countries [4]. Further assertions suggest that volunteer, untrained and partially trained health workers seem to have more empathy and give more emotional support to patients compared to these trained health workers [5]. However, little published evidence exists about the veracity or otherwise of these anecdotes.…”