London - Patients with more sympathetic, understanding doctors have better outcomes and fewer complications, new research suggests.
By measuring a doctor’s understanding of a patient’s concerns, pain, suffering and intention to help, researchers found a link between diabetic patients’ outcomes and their physicians.
A large study done by a team from Thomas Jefferson University along with Italian researchers evaluated the relationships among 20 961 diabetic patients and 242 doctors in Parma, Italy.
Mohammadreza Hojat, a psychiatry professor at Jefferson Medical College (JMC)said: “This research study has confirmed that empathic physician-patient relationships are an important factor in positive outcomes.
“It takes our hypothesis one step further.
“Compared to our initial study, it has a much larger number of patients and physicians, a different tangible clinical outcome, hospital admission for acute metabolic complications, and a cross-cultural feature that will allow for generalisation of the findings in various cultures and health care systems.”
Researchers used the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) which measures the level of empathy in the context of patient care, and the results of two medical tests, the haemoglobin A1c (blood) test and cholesterol levels measurements.
The study found a direct association between a physician’s JSE and a better control of their patient’s medical results.
Hojat said: “Results of this study confirmed our hypothesis that a validated measure of physician empathy is significantly associated with the incidence of acute metabolic complications in diabetic patients, and provides the much-needed empirical support for the beneficial effects of empathy in patient care.”
Italian patients and doctors were evaluated because there is universal health care coverage in Italy and there is no confounding effect of difference in insurance, lack of insurance or financial barriers to access care.
“What’s more, the study was conducted in a health care system in which all residents enrol with a primary care physician, resulting in a better defined relationship between the patients and their primary care physicians,” said co-author Daniel Z Louis, Managing Director for the Centre for Research in Medical Education and Health Care and research associate professor of family and community medicine at JMC.
Co-author author Vittorio Maio,associate professor at the Jefferson School of Population Health said: “Italy has a lower rate of switching doctors, facilitating long-lasting physician patient relationships.” – Daily Mail