Our Patients Need Empathy Training across Healthcare Professions

Vulnerable populations are those who experience disparity at a disproportionate rate. For this article, specific vulnerable populations of interest include people who experience intellectual or developmental disorders, mental illness, or substance misuse. Vulnerable populations are some of the most...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of pharmaceutical education 2023-05, Vol.87 (5), p.100011-100011, Article 100011
Main Authors: Salazar, Krista, Adams, Jennifer L., Nies, Mary A., Robinson, Renee, Hedwig, Travis, Hellem, Tracy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
COVID-19 - epidemiology
Delivery of Health Care
Education, Pharmacy
Empathy
Evaluation
Health aspects
Health disparity
Healthcare justice
Humans
Interprofessional education
Interprofessional training
Medical personnel
Pandemics
Patient satisfaction
Social aspects
Training
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Summary:Vulnerable populations are those who experience disparity at a disproportionate rate. For this article, specific vulnerable populations of interest include people who experience intellectual or developmental disorders, mental illness, or substance misuse. Vulnerable populations are some of the most stigmatized populations in our society. Research shows that vulnerable populations receive less empathic care than general health care populations, resulting in reduced quality of care and disparities in health outcomes. Empathy, a necessary health care competency, is associated with improved patient outcomes, enhanced job satisfaction, and increased retention and resilience across health care professions. However, there is no current standard for how empathy is taught, assessed, or sustained. Even when empathy education is implemented in healthcare professions curricula, research has demonstrated that it appears to erode with experience and time. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequities in health care systems, with consequences for both patients and providers. There is an urgent need to develop efficacious training in empathy across health care professions to foster and sustain a robust workforce and improve health care experiences and outcomes.
ISSN:0002-9459
1553-6467
DOI:10.1016/j.ajpe.2022.09.001