Abstract
Purpose:
To explore clinicians' perceptions of empathy during musculoskeletal clinical consultations.
Background:
Empathy is considered essential to creating a positive experience within healthcare for both the patient and clinician, improving adherence, creating trust and improving patient experience. However, little is known about how clinicians acquire and display empathic communication skills during musculoskeletal consultations.
Methods:
In this qualitative study, 11 physiotherapists and 6 students participated in three focus groups, separated by clinical grade. The definition of empathy, its acquisition and impact on clinical practice were discussed, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed. Data were managed using a Framework approach, and key themes identified.
Results:
The data from 17 participants comprised 149 minutes of audio recording. Six key themes and 48 sub-themes were identified. Empathy was considered a key component of communication and similarly defined in all three focus groups; however divergence surrounded how it is acquired, the extent it can be taught and whether a clinician's personality influences their career pathway. Experienced clinicians highlighted greater importance and impact of empathic communication in practice than novices, whilst novices considered a lack of time a key barrier in preventing empathic communication.
Discussion:
There is a mismatch between the importance attributed to empathic communication in the literature and by clinicians, compared with the time and energy spent acquiring and developing these skills.
Conclusion:
Displaying genuine empathy is considered essential to building rapport and optimising non-specific treatment effects in clinical practice, however clinicians need greater awareness and engagement to further these skills for patient benefit.
