What is empathy?

Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. This means that when someone expresses their emotions or experiences, an empathetic individual can recognize and resonate with those feelings, leading to a deeper connection and understanding. In the context of healthcare, empathy plays a crucial role in enhancing patient experience because it allows healthcare providers to connect with patients on a personal level, validating their feelings and experiences. This connection can lead to increased trust, better communication, and ultimately improved outcomes for the patient.

While maintaining professional distance is important in certain situations, it does not capture the essence of empathy. Empathy is inherently about engaging with another person's emotions, which can be essential in providing compassionate care. The ability to communicate effectively is also important, but empathy specifically goes beyond communication skills; it involves emotional engagement. Addressing patient complaints can benefit from empathy as well, but empathy itself is a broader concept that encompasses the emotional understanding of patients rather than just a method of solving complaints.