The need for empathetic healthcare systems

J Med Ethics. 2020 Jul 24;47(12):e27. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105921. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Medicine is not merely a job that requires technical expertise, but a profession concerned with making the best decisions and recommendations with reference to, and in consultation with, the patient. This means that the skill set required for healthcare professionals in order to provide good care is a combination of scientific knowledge, technical aptitude, and affective qualities or virtues such as compassion and empathy.

Keywords: ethics; general.