Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Volume 15, Issue 2 , Pages 76-79, May 2009

A perspective on cultivating clinical empathy

  • Matthew A. Davis

      Affiliations

    • Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 216, 185 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT 05353, USA
    • The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationGrace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 216, 185 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT 05353, USA. Tel.: +1 (802) 365 4331; fax: +1 (802) 365 7384.

Abstract 

This paper discusses the role of empathy in clinical practice. An empathetic provider fulfills the patient's basic need to be understood and is vital to the establishment of a healthy provider–patient relationship. The commentary introduces the concept of clinical empathy, reviews pertinent literature on the topic, and focuses on effective communication as a means of expressing empathy in a clinical setting.

Keywords: Empathy, Physician–patient relations, Communication

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PII: S1744-3881(09)00002-4

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.01.001

Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Volume 15, Issue 2 , Pages 76-79, May 2009

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