Healing with Heart: The Role of Compassion in Healthcare

Though compassion is at the heart of medicine, nearly half of American patients said it is missing in the healthcare system. The inability to extend compassionate care dehumanizes the patient. It has also been linked to poor quality of care, medical errors, increased adverse medical events, and patient complaints.

Given its importance in improving patient care and clinical outcomes, there must be a targeted effort to make compassionate service the cornerstone of medical practices.

The Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) is committed to providing empathetic and humane healthcare services. 

In this article, we shed light on what it is, its importance, how  medical professionals can demonstrate it, and how IMANA delivers medical aid with compassion.

What Is Compassionate Healthcare?

Compassion in healthcare is described as “an empathic response to suffering, as a rational process which pursues patients’ wellbeing, through specific, ethical actions directed at finding a solution to their suffering.”

But what exactly does it entail? A 2022 study published in Health Expectations surveyed 767 patients who defined compassion in a medical setting as:

• Respecting preferences
• Genuine understanding
• Continuity and holistic care
• Body language and empathy
• Listening and paying attention
• Following up and running tests

Patients also mentioned counseling and advocacy as indicators of compassion.

Importance of Compassion in Healthcare

Compassionate care builds a positive environment that addresses the patient’s core needs. It can facilitate faster recovery, alleviate anxiety, improve patient satisfaction, and even lower the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Another study discovered the relationship between compassionate care and better patient adherence to prescribed therapies.

Beyond strengthening relationships with caregivers and getting patients to follow recommended therapies, compassion in healthcare benefits healthcare institutions. It improves patient outcomes, increases employee satisfaction, influences patients’ perceptions of medical errors, and lowers the risk of malpractice claims.

Unfortunately, not enough clinicians are regarded as compassionate.

A 2018 analysis revealed that physicians across different settings miss 60% to 90% of opportunities to convey compassion. They focus on biomedical inquiries, actions, and medical explanations instead. They typically interrupt patients quite early. The length of most patients’ speaking times has been recorded at a mean of 92 seconds.

Challenges in Continuously Offering Compassionate Care

Doctors may find it challenging to continuously extend compassion to their patients. The constant exposure to pain, suffering, trauma, and uncertainty can lead to compassion fatigue. 

This can cause a range of dissociative disorders, eating disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychiatric conditions among clinicians.

What can we learn from this? Healthcare workers have a finite ability to display compassion. However, the consistent practice of some strategies may allow them to restore their reserves.

What Can Physicians Do To Practice Compassionate Care?

Compassion is an innate trait that can be strengthened with training.

Here are some tips that can help:

Practice Mindfulness

Being mindful can help you achieve better communication competency.

By focusing on patients, clinicians can adjust their behaviors and respond more appropriately. 

Think about what your patient has been through. Ask questions that encourage them to share their perspectives. Let the information you gather guide your decision-making.

Withhold Judgment

Being non-judgmental is a professional obligation and an important standard of care. Studies have found that healthcare professionals have a negative bias across demographics from race to disability. 

This can adversely affect the treatment of patients.

Extend compassion by making room for the thoughts and behaviors of others. It will create a safe space where the people you serve feel valued, respected, and listened to.

Display Empathy 

Empathy is a natural quality but it can be developed. 

If you think you’ve become desensitized to human suffering, it may be time to look inward. Search for personal biases and find ways to deliver more empathetic care. Research indicates it can improve diagnostic accuracy, lower psychological distress, and increase satisfaction.

Here are some tips to practice empathy:

• Don’t rush the appointment. Be patient. Take time to listen to your patient’s concerns and establish trust.
• Rely on face-to-face meetings instead of sending over their records electronically and providing guidance by email or messaging.

It also helps to develop a personal connection with your patient. Jot down a personal detail or two about them, and mention it in later meetings to show them you care. 

Practice Self-Compassion 

To offer compassion to others, you must first be compassionate and kind to yourself. This brings great benefits to one’s psychological well-being. 

Its advantages go beyond increased feelings of happiness and optimism. Self-compassion makes you better equipped to admit mistakes and modify your behavior. It protects you from anger and closed-mindedness, giving you a reliable source of inner strength.

Indulge in Self-care 

Making self-care a priority is essential for healthcare providers. Sadly, it isn’t practiced often enough as there is a misconception that self-care is selfish.  A healthier perspective is to regard self-care as a means of replenishing one’s capacity to serve others.

Here are some ways to care for your needs:

• Practice gratitude and journaling.
• Get quality sleep.
• Stay hydrated and enjoy a well-balanced, nutritious diet.
• Take some time to exercise.

If you start caring for yourself before you feel anxiety, fatigue, and depression, it will be easier to restore your emotional well-being and deliver continuous compassionate care.

How IMANA Cultivates More Compassionate Healthcare Systems

IMANA is dedicated to delivering compassionate care in areas of the world that need it most. Our medical relief missions provide valuable supplies and healthcare services in places like Pakistan, Yemen, and Syria.

We also have a mentorship program that enables less experienced medical professionals to receive guidance from more experienced colleagues. Aside from career advice, our mentors offer their charges suggestions on how to cultivate better doctor-patient relationships while acting in compassionate ways.