Compassionate care in the emergency department: A narrative review and blueprint for future inquiry

Abstract

While compassion has long been accepted conceptually as a vital part of patient care, few rigorous studies have focused on its provenance or impact until quite recently. A growing body of literature gives early evidence that compassion can substantially impact health outcomes, and critically, that compassionate behaviors may be fostered by didactics or clinical environment. Only a few studies have yet addressed compassion in the emergency department (ED) setting, but there are already indications that the perception of compassionate care during medical emergencies can have a meaningful and enduring impact on health. This review aims to assess the current research on compassion as it relates to ED care and proposes a framework for future inquiry. In particular, we assess the current evidence surrounding 1) measurement of compassion, 2) the impact of compassion on patient outcomes, and 3) the efficacy of compassion education for providers. We also highlight several understudied areas in the compassion literature, including potential effect on overall cost of care, how delivery of compassionate care might influence provider burnout, and how social determinants of health, race, gender, and other factors mediate either the provision of or the perception of compassionate care. In an era of competing demands on emergency providers' time, it is vitally important to better understand both the teaching of compassion and its myriad potential impacts if we are to make informed decisions about how to prioritize this aspect of medical care.

Keywords: Burnout; Compassion; Education.