Compassion in Healthcare
Compassion and kindness are essential in health care. The benefits have been consistently demonstrated in cases ranging from traumatic injuries to common colds.
The Power of Compassion
Research has proven time and again that when caregivers show empathy and kindness, their patients heal faster. While medicine holds the power to cure, care delivered with kindness and compassion can speed the healing process and lead to better outcomes for patients and caregivers alike. Showing compassion, offering reassurance, and listening actively calms patients, lowers blood pressure, and enables faster recuperation, reduced pain, and shorter hospital stays. The benefits have been consistently demonstrated in cases ranging from traumatic injuries to common colds. Treating each other with kindness is a powerful way to influence health, and is reshaping the way we think about quality health care.
To better understand this important aspect of patient care, Dignity Health sponsored a study conducted by Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.
The Healing Power of Kindness
Researchers are making clear scientific connections between compassionate acts of kindness and health outcomes in patients, satisfaction with health care systems, and job satisfaction among medical providers.
Power of Compassion Articles
We invite you to peruse our Health Matters "Compassion" series to consider the many ways kindness and medical care go hand in hand.
The Science of Kindness
Kindness affects patients in a large number of positive ways, from pain reduction to an immune system boost.