[Association between empathy levels in physicians and patient satisfaction].

Introduction: A good doctor-patient relationship is crucial to medical practice. A fundamental element of it is the empathy of the treating physician, and it can be quantified by means of a validated scale called the Jefferson Empathy Scale.

Methods: In this study we sought to correlate the empathy values of our physicians with the results of outpatient satisfaction surveys, measured using a tool called HCAPS.

Results: We found that patients perceived greater respectful treatment and had their treatment options better explained to them by physicians with higher levels of empathy. There were no differences in physicians' empathy levels according to their age, gender, or time since qualifying as a specialist.

Discussion: These results validate empathy as a key skill in the doctor-patient relationship.