Physician Empathy in Doctor-Patient Communication: A Systematic Review

Physician empathy is at the heart of doctor-patient communication and significantly influences patient outcomes. However, the research on how physicians express their empathy and how physician empathy affects patient outcomes and doctor-patient communication has not been well summarized in the latest literature. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to synthesize existing studies on physician empathy and its value to patient outcomes and doctor-patient communication. The systematic review consisted of studies published in English peer-reviewed journals between January 2017 and October 2021. Following the PRISMA procedure, a total of 3055 articles were retrieved, and 11 articles were retained. The thematic analysis revealed three emergent themes: physicians' empathic expressions; patient outcomes (patient functional status, patient safety, and patient satisfaction); and empathy enhancing doctor-patient communication. This study highlighted the different ways empathy may be expressed by physicians and its positive effects on patient outcomes and doctor- patient communication. This study also suggested the under-researched areas that can be expanded in the future.

Automated summary

Physician empathy plays a crucial role in doctor-patient communication and has a significant impact on patient outcomes. However, there is a lack of comprehensive summary on how physicians express empathy and how it affects patient outcomes and doctor-patient communication in the latest literature. This systematic review synthesized existing studies on physician empathy and its value to patient outcomes and doctor-patient communication. The analysis revealed three themes: empathic expressions by physicians, patient outcomes, and the role of empathy in enhancing doctor-patient communication. The study highlights the importance of empathy in healthcare and suggests areas for further research.