Physician empathy is associated with greater patient satisfaction and outcomes, researchers found, according to a column published March 26 in the American Osteopathic Association’s magazine, The DO.
John Licciardone, DO, and Yen Tran, established the Pain Registry for Epidemiological, Clinical and Interventional Studies and Innovation (PRECISION) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth to study the patient-physician relationship in chronic pain management. Through the PRECISION database, they conducted a number of studies on how empathy impacted patient satisfaction and outcomes.
Here are five notes:
1. Physician empathy and communication were associated with higher rates of patient satisfaction.
2. For patients with chronic pain, empathy was more important than their pain, physical function outcomes or whether opioids were prescribed.
3. Patients treated by very empathetic physicians have less pain intensity, fewer back-related disabilities and better health-related quality of life.
4. Physician empathy was also associated with better patient outcomes than some treatments, including opioid therapy and lumbar spine surgery.
5. However, research has found medical students and residents may become less empathetic during their education and training.
“Undoubtedly, more organizational initiatives and greater resources will be needed to enable health care professionals to develop and cultivate empathy as well as better communication skills,” study authors Dr. Licciardone and Mr. Tran, said. “However, momentum is growing and initiatives to improve physician empathy and communication in healthcare delivery appear to be well worth the effort.”
