Healthcare Professionals Face Challenges Maintaining Empathy in High-Pressure Environments, Says New Research

Empathy, often regarded as a vital component of effective healthcare, is frequently assumed to be an innate trait or a natural aspect of patient interactions. However, a recent doctoral thesis from Umeå University reveals that the reality of practicing empathy in medical settings is far more complex and challenging. The study highlights how time constraints, structural aspects of medical education, and workplace culture significantly influence a doctor's ability to maintain empathetic engagement.

In this comprehensive research, Johanna von Knorring interviewed medical students, practicing physicians, and patients to explore their perceptions and experiences related to empathy in healthcare. The findings emphasize that empathy is a dynamic, relational process that evolves based on various contextual factors. While many participants agree that empathy involves active listening, presence, and recognizing patients as whole individuals, consistently achieving this in everyday practice proves difficult.

Medical students note that although empathy receives emphasis during early training stages, the realities of clinical work—marked by tight schedules, extensive documentation, and a focus on technical outcomes—diminish opportunities for empathetic presence. Experienced physicians also report that organizational pressures and cultural norms within healthcare often deprioritize relational care, despite their personal desire to serve as role models for empathetic practice. Maintaining empathy, they suggest, requires ongoing effort, reflection, and institutional support.

Patients in the study demonstrate understanding of these challenges but continue to advocate for a more person-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of being truly seen, heard, and respected. They assert that empathy is fundamental to quality care and should be integrated into everyday practice rather than treated as a supplementary skill.

Ultimately, the research underscores that empathy does not simply emerge without effort. It is shaped and reshaped by the context, organizational values, and educational frameworks surrounding healthcare professionals. Improving conditions for doctors to sustain and develop their empathetic skills is a shared responsibility among individuals, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations.

The findings will be discussed publicly when von Knorring defends her thesis on June 5, 2025. This research calls for a collective reevaluation of how empathy is prioritized and supported within healthcare systems to enhance patient outcomes and professional satisfaction.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-doctors-struggle-empathy-high-pressure.html