Empathy – a clinical competency.

Increased patient satisfaction and adherence: Patients who feel heard and understood are more likely to be satisfied with their care and adhere to treatment plans and self-care regimens. This leads to more effective treatment and better overall health outcomes.
Better communication and diagnosis: Empathic physicians encourage patients to share more detailed information about their symptoms and concerns, which leads to more accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans.
Reduced patient anxiety and distress: Empathy helps build trust, which can significantly lower a patient's anxiety and emotional distress during treatment, especially for those facing serious illnesses like cancer.
Improved clinical outcomes: A study published in JAMA Network Open found a significant association between higher physician empathy scores and better outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain, including reduced pain intensity and functional disability. Other research found that diabetic patients with empathic physicians had significantly better control over their blood sugar (HbA1c) and cholesterol levels.
Fewer medical errors and litigation: Empathic physicians tend to make fewer diagnostic errors and are less likely to face litigation, possibly because a trusting relationship promotes better communication and understanding.

Empathy – samesame around the world

Empathy in clinical encounters has consistently been shown to improve patient experiences and outcomes around the world. Systematic reviews from Europe and North America demonstrate that empathic communication enhances patient satisfaction, increases treatment adherence, and reduces anxiety, stress, and pain. Randomized trials, such as those conducted in the United States, further indicate that brief empathic interventions can reduce patients’ thoughts of pursuing litigation, highlighting empathy’s protective effect in high-risk clinical interactions.

Evidence from Asia, Latin America, and Africa – through cross-sectional studies, validation research, and communication-training evaluations – shows comparable patterns: perceived clinician empathy reliably predicts higher trust in providers, more positive evaluations of care, stronger physician–patient relationships, and better psychosocial outcomes.

Studies from China and India emphasize empathy’s role in strengthening trust and improving communication; research from Brazil and Ecuador highlights its importance in nursing care quality; and findings from South Africa and Nigeria show that empathy significantly influences satisfaction in both general and maternal healthcare settings.

Taken together, global evidence points to a clear conclusion: empathy is a key clinical competency that consistently supports better health outcomes, fosters patient trust, and promotes safer, more effective healthcare delivery worldwide.
ChatGPT 2025-12-06/BB

UNITED STATES

Smith, D. D., Kellar, J., Walters, E. L., et al. (2016). Does emergency physician empathy reduce thoughts of litigation? A randomised trial.
PubMed abstract/full‑text info — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27002161/ PubMed+1

Nembhard, I. M., Feiner, A., & Pradier, M. F. (2023). A systematic review of research on empathy in health care.

Search via DOI / journal “Health Services Research

NETHERLANDS

Derksen, F., Bensing, J., & Lagro‑Janssen, A. (2013). Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: A systematic review.
Full‑text PDF and online: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3529296/ PMC+1

CHINA

Liu, X., Rohrer, W., Luo, A., Fang, Z., He, T., & Xie, W. (2015). Doctor–patient communication skills training in mainland China: A systematic review.

Search via journal Patient Education & Counseling + year 2015.

Wu, T., Yang, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). The relationship between physician–patient relationship, physician empathy, and patient trust in China.

Search via BMC Primary Care 2022.

INDIA

Tiwari, M., Kumath, S., & Banerjee, D. (2023). Clinical empathy and its correlates among Indian medical students.
Search via Journal of Education and Health Promotion 2023.

BRAZIL

Santos, M. A., Góis, A. F., Mourão, M. A., & Magalhães, E. (2016). Empathy differences by gender and specialty preference among Brazilian medical students.
Search via Revista Brasileira de Educação Médica 2016.

Trevizan, M. A., Almeida, R. G. dos S., Souza, M. C., Mazzo, A., Mendes, I. A. C., & Martins, J. C. A. (2015). Empathy in Brazilian nursing professionals: A descriptive study.

DOI: 10.1177/0969733014534872 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24934271/ PubMed+1

ECUADOR/LATIN AMERICA

Pontón, V., Alulema, D., & Villares, J. (2023). Empathy of working nurses in public high‑complexity hospitals.

Search via Revista Latino‑Americana de Enfermagem, 2023.

SOUTH AFRICA

Archer, E., Bitzer, E. M., & Van Heerden, B. (2019). Inter‑rater reliability of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Student Version in South Africa.

Search via journal “African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine”, 2019.

ECUADOR/LATIN AMERICA

Ishola, A. A., & Kazeem, K. L. (2022). How consultation‑relational empathy and demographics influence satisfaction with primary antenatal health care: evidence from rural Nigeria.
DOI: 10.1016/j.glohj.2022.09.001 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glohj.2022.09.001 ScienceDirect+1

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Notes on links and access:

For older or less widely available papers (especially from Asia or Latin America), find the journal and year, and locate via academic databases or the university’s library.
DOIs (e.g., Trevizan et al. 2015; Ishola & Kazeem 2022), the most stable way to find the paper.
The review by Derksen et al. (2013) is available via open access (PMC). PMC+1
For the United States RCT on litigation, the PubMed page gives access to more information.