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The Power of Empathy

By Francis v Adams, MD

Physicians were known as “healers” long before they could provide any real cures. I have been fortunate to study with several highly skilled gifted physicians with the ability to rapidly arrive at the correct diagnosis of a patient’s illness. I noted these physicians had three outstanding qualities: Extremely sharp senses, empathy, and intuition. Although computer hard drives are filled with medical information and programmed to make diagnoses they lack these three characteristics. I doubt these machines will ever replace an intuitive doctor at the bedside.

Empathy is much more than sympathy for another person’s suffering. In medicine it begins with interest on the part of the physician who obtains a detailed medical history. The doctor must be able to listen carefully and communicate openly. He must also be a keen observer of his patient’s moods and reactions. The histories include life experiences as well as details of the illness at hand. They are often moving, producing a strong emotional response. Visual images are generated and the observer begins to instantly recognize his subject’s mood changes. The emotions generated promote increased self-awareness and discovery on the part of the physician.

Medical students and young physicians, however, have traditionally been taught not to get emotionally involved since it would destroy their objectivity. This often produces physicians who appear cold and detached without a trace of empathy. Faced with the outcry from patients seeking a caring physician, medical school curriculums have recently begun to address this problem. Students now begin to interact with patients much earlier in their education and in an important exercise, are often placed in the role of a patient to learn firsthand what this means. Courses in literature and the arts now are commonly included in the medical curriculum.

A strong doctor-patient relationship is vital to the practice of medicine and contributes to a good outcome of an illness. This relationship is built on trust and communication. Where will the time for this relationship to build come from? Physicians must take advantage of innovations like voice recognition software to allow them to record their findings accurately and in less time. HMOs must place more value on the time a physician spends with a patient whether in obtaining a history, exam or in patient education. Fee schedules that have heavily favored technical procedures must be revised and balanced to validate the time invested by the physician at the bedside. Our health care system is in turmoil but can be repaired. It requires both doctors and patients to take their complaints to the HMOs and their elected representatives.

HOW SHOULD YOU CHOOSE A PHYSICIAN?

A great deal of information on physician qualifications and board certification is now available. “Best Doctor” listings are a good place to start. One example is America’s Top Doctors published by Castle Connolly; available at www.castleconnolly.com. Next step—interviewing the physician and observing how much time is allotted for patient care. If a physician is unable to provide adequate time to build the trust required, then another choice must be made.

Physicians, empowered by empathy, can regain patients’ trust and restore balance between the science and art of medicine. This may not be a cure for every illness but may simply be the achievement of a patient’s comfort and inner peace.

Francis V. Adams, M.D., is author of, The Asthma Sourcebook, The Breathing Disorders Sourcebook and Healing Through Empathy. Visit his website at: www.adamsmd.com