We asked residents and attendings affiliated with our school to answer the question, “What is compassionate patient care?” And their responses were inspiring.
“I believe the following sums up how I approach my patients:
Often, compassionate care means having the courage to divulge the truth to patients so they may take ownership of their condition when others have not taken the time or were afraid to do so. Being a good listener is also vital to compassionate care. Hearing what your patient is saying (or not saying) is often therapeutic in itself.”
Ruth Wykoff, MD
Hospitalist, West Florida Hospital, Pensacola, FL
Graduate of BUMC-P Internal Medicine Program 2015
“Compassionate care is seeing patients as individuals instead of a problem solved by algorithms, therefore allowing us to provide the patient with the information and resources to make informed decisions instead of acting as proxies. It is also following the wishes of the patient and not catering to their families for fear of litigation. It’s providing care for everyone regardless of socioeconomic status and the endless barriers inherent in the medical world.”
Anu Mikkilineni, MD
PGY-1 Internal Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center
“The compassionate physician sits down and listens, quietly”
Cliff Ewbank, MD
PGY-1 Surgery, UC San Francisco, CA
Graduate of UA COM-P 2015
“To me, being compassionate requires one to separate and, more importantly, prioritize our vested interest in our patient from the other concerns in our day. Our concern for our notes/discharges/orders, other academic responsibilities, or the prospect of finishing early for the day should never get in the way of our precedence of patient care. When we fully commit to patient care, we truly understand the meaning of compassion.”
Keshav Anand, MD
PGY-2 Radiology, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
Graduate of UA COM-P 2014
“Patient care is providing only the best service physically and emotionally possible to the best of your ability. Compassionate patient care is wishing you could have done more.”
Prahlad Sunil, MD
PGY-3 Internal Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center
“A dedication to careful communication allows for compassionate care. That dedication includes communicating with the patient in the context of their culture, life experiences, education, and emotional state. It includes communicating with all members of the care team—consultants, nurses, the patients themselves, and other care providers—in a way that encourages cooperation, understanding, participation, and unity in the plan of care. Finally, it requires careful communication through precise documentation and sign-out to preserve the unity and plan of care so painstakingly constructed.”
Trevor Quiner, MD
PGY-2 Ob/Gyn, BUMC-P
“Compassion is where you feel a patient’s pain and suffering as your own.”
Suneela Vegunta, MD
Consultant, Division of Women’s Health, Dept of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona
Women’s Health Elective, UA COM-P
“Compassionate patient care is treating every patient like you want to be treated. It is about understanding their fears and their pain and reaching out to help with an attitude of service.”
William Beeston, DO
Anesthesiologist, Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants, Phoenix, AZ
Anesthesiology Elective, UA COM-P
“Maintaining compassion throughout training has long been recognized to be a challenge for those entering this profession. The workload and demands on medical students, physicians-in-training and -in-practice continue to grow. These expectations can detract from the mental and emotional capacity required to provide patient care that is not only the ‘standard of care’ but is also caring. I have found that I struggle to convey empathy for my patients when I am grappling with my own emotions, especially if it relates to challenging clinical situations or unexpected patient outcomes. That emotional vulnerability forces me to acknowledge my own faults and imperfections, which is not easy for most of us Type-A folks. To deal with this, I turn to my family, friends, and fellow residents. Expressing my thoughts, feelings, and frustrations sometimes is all that I need to recharge and refocus my energy. Then I am able to provide compassionate care, which is reciprocated and thus more fulfilling for me, and more therapeutic for my patients.”
Kelley Saunders, MD
PGY-2 Ob/Gyn, BUMC-P
Graduate of UA COM-P 2014
Quotes from Phoenix Children’s Hospital Pediatrics Residents
“Being aware of the human condition—that while we try to do our best, humans are not always perfect. But that all humans are deserving of love and remembering this in my-day-to day interactions.”
“Compassion to me means how you relate to and feel for your patients. It is caring for your patients not only with kind words but with your actions and support.”
“Compassion means having empathy for others, listening, and acknowledging concerns of your patients.”
“Compassion is being able to put oneself in another’s shoes and act according to how one would like to be treated.”
“Compassion is feeling with someone, being with someone. It is allowing yourself to feel their emotions, opening your heart out to them.”
“Being able to empathize with a patient after a long day.”
“Compassion: the Christ-like attribute of caring for and loving others that motivates one to act to help another.”
“Being present for families. Truly listening and caring. Stepping into someone else’s shoes. Taking the extra step (or two). Being fearless with your dedication to understanding your patients.”
“Being willing to sojourn the experience of sorrow that another person is going through.”
“Caring for others in their time of need.”
We thank our residents and attendings for taking time to reflect on compassionate patient care and sharing their personal thoughts with our community.
The Differential is a platform for UA COM-P medical students that aims to educate, inform and enlighten our community through collaborative dialogue and communication.