The Role of Compassionate Care in Medicine: Toward Improving Patients' Quality of Care and Satisfaction.

J Surg Res

Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, Florida; Department of Surgical Education, Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, Florida. Electronic address:

Published: September 2023

AI Article Synopsis

  • Compassionate care is essential in healthcare, as it significantly affects patient outcomes, reduces costs, and lowers malpractice claims.
  • The study analyzed 22 articles and found that empathy from healthcare providers correlates with better patient perceptions and clinical results.
  • Differences in cultural backgrounds influence how compassion is perceived, highlighting the need for training and further research on the impact of telehealth on compassionate care.

Article Abstract

Introduction: Despite its description as a cornerstone of a healthcare provider's professional identity, the impact of compassionate care on various aspects of medicine has been poorly defined. In this review, we aimed to elucidate the role of compassionate care in various aspects of medicine and healthcare delivery.

Methods: Four databases were searched using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol for a literature review regarding compassionate care and its intersection with medical education, patient-provider communication, patient care, and clinical outcomes, patient and provider characteristics, telemedicine and artificial intelligence, caregiver compassion fatigue, and cost of care.

Results: Twenty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. Analysis revealed that clinical outcomes are correlated with the degree of patients' perception of empathy and compassion from their providers. Along with enhanced patient outcomes, compassionate care was shown to reduce the costs of care, compassion fatigue and burnout, and the number of malpractice claims. However, compassion can be perceived differently among patients of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Compassion training sessions can be implemented among residents in surgical and nonsurgical medical specialties to improve perceived compassion. Furthermore, the use of telehealth modalities may positively or negatively impact compassionate care, requiring further exploration.

Conclusions: Compassionate care plays a crucial role in improving patient care and clinical outcomes while reducing caregiver burnout and the risk of malpractice litigation. However, a lack of compassion training and caregiver compassion fatigue may detract from the delivery of effective compassionate care.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.024DOI Listing

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