When Ms. Mintz asked the audience what their biggest hurdle is in weaving empathy through their care, time constraints topped the list among the five choices. But she said many factors mattered. Making sure patient expectations are in line with realistic outcomes is difficult without empathy and good communication. Giving emotional support while staying professionally detached is “a delicate balance,” she said. And overcoming differences in cultural understanding is essential as well, she noted.
Clinicians can foster empathy, Ms. Mintz said, through communication by acknowledging the emotional as well as the physical toll of an illness. Emotional support can be improved by training team members to recognize the signs of emotional distress. And follow-ups and check-ins can be helpful to assess patients’ stress and coping mechanisms.
Empathy in research is an area that also has room for improvement, Ms. Mintz said. Ways to do this include incorporating patients and study participants into the research design process, training researchers in empathy and keeping participants informed through the research process.
Ms. Mintz said that artificial intelligence can be helpful in providing care with empathy—potentially by helping generate responses to patients—but the human touch and oversight are still required.
“Integrating empathy into healthcare requires a balance of innovative training and responsible use of technology to improve patient-provider relations in care outcomes,” she said. “It’s not going to replace everybody.”
Interprofessional Collaboration
Interprofessional collaboration is also an important part of improving the patient experience, Ms. Mintz said. It helps shared decision making, breaks down silos in medical care and contributes to continuity of care.
Partnering with physical and occupational therapists can help patients more easily address difficulties with mobility and pain management. Collaborating with primary care providers can help ensure lab results and medication updates are communicated promptly. And working with psychologists, counselors and social workers can help make sure patients get the mental health support they need, Ms. Mintz said.
Change on a systemic level is also something providers should take seriously, she said, by promoting policies for equitable care, helping patients be heard, addressing social determinants of health and empowering patients with the knowledge they need.
“Patients with strong health literacy can better understand the medical information, communicate more effectively and make informed choices about their care,” Ms. Mintz stated.
She shared a message from her young patient with lupus, who is now 30, recalling how her providers helped her feel in control. After other providers had downplayed her symptoms—even saying she was lazy or faking it—her care team at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles didn’t dismiss her. And this had a lasting effect, the patient said.
