ATTRIBUTES AND BARRIERS THAT INFLUENCE EMPATHETIC COMMUNICATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS’ AND PATIENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

K. Savvoulidou¹, A. Tsokani¹, A. Papageorgiou², P. Kapreli³, O. Kolokotroni⁴, N. Strimpakos¹, E. Kapreli¹

¹University of Thessaly, Department of Physiotherapy, Lamia, Greece, ²University of Nicosia, Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus, ³Lawyer, Accredited Mediator, Athens, Greece, ⁴Cyprus University of Technology, Department of Nursing, Limassol, Cyprus

Background: Empathy is an essential competence of person-centered approach, and a recognition ability for providing a quality healthcare. Empathetic communication aims to improve patient outcomes and experience in treatment. However, there are plenty of factors that could facilitate empathy developed while certain barriers could make it challenging.

Purpose: The objective of research study was to present further insights considering
(a) attributes of an empathetic relationship between patients and physiotherapists
(b) barriers of achieving an effective empathetic interaction in clinical practice.

Methods: Two focus groups were conducted and specifical questions were designed by the research team according to the main purpose of the topic. The first group included seven participants (five physiotherapists and two undergraduate physiotherapy students) while eight patients participated in the second group. All participants signed the consent form and the letter of declaration before participating in study. A trained moderator leaded the sessions. Both groups were audio recorded, and all data were verbatim transcribed for coding thematic analysis.

Results: Physiotherapists and patients discussed several characteristics and barriers for empathetic behaviour. Sixteen main themes were revealed in thematic analysis, ten themes regarding barriers and six themes regarding empathetic attributes. Developing qualities of a good communication and building an honest patient-clinician connection are some key features of an empathetic relationship. On the contrary, the revealed barriers are associated with healthcare professionals, patients and working conditions such as lack of education, patients’ cultural barriers and work pressure.

Conclusions: This study identified many barriers and attributes for implementing empathy in healthcare. Both groups agreed that empathy could be grown in a trustworthy relationship in which qualities of good communication should be developed. However, empathetic behaviour might not be usual practice for physiotherapists due to numerous hindering factors.

Implications: The above findings highlight the important characteristics of building an empathetic relationship and identify the main challenges that should be overcome. These results are also valuable for developing an educational curriculum of empathy in healthcare. High quality healthcare can be strengthened by empathetic communication among healthcare professionals and patients.

Funding acknowledgements: Framework “EMPATHY IN HEALTH CARE”. Funded by European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 2019-1-CY01-KA203-058432)

Keywords:
Empathy
Barriers
Empathetic attributes

Topics:
Professional issues
Professional practice: other
Professionalism & ethics

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Thessaly, Greece

Committee: Committee for Research Ethics of Department of Physiotherapy

Ethics number: 339-ΣΕ8/10-1-2020