Belinda Parmar OBE is a diversity campaigner and the CEO of The Empathy Business.
Mention “compassion” or “empathy” and artificial intelligence hardly springs to mind, so it might come as a surprise to learn that a group of researchers found AI chatbots to be considerably more empathetic than real doctors.
Researchers from the University of California in San Diego, John Hopkins University and others evaluated 195 questions on Reddit’s “AskDocs” forum and compared the verified physicians’ responses to the chatbot’s responses after it was prompted with the original questions. The chatbot’s answers were rated “significantly more empathetic than physician responses.”
But just how important is an effective bedside manner anyway? Well, it can be crucial to improving medical results. Researchers have found that increased empathy from doctors has the potential to improve patient satisfaction and medical adherence. The British Medical Council also acknowledged the “likely association between practitioner empathy and patient outcomes,” and healthcare practitioners need to adapt appropriately. There are even facilities dedicated to bringing more empathy into the training of doctors, such as the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare.
And that is where I believe the aforementioned chatbot’s answers to the Reddit forum questions could help lead the way. Not only were its answers longer than the responses provided by human medics, but they were also considered higher quality and showed more empathy for how the patient might be feeling.
So, how can doctors bring more empathy to their relationships with patients? Through the work my company, which provides empathy audits and workshops, has done with healthcare organizations, I’ve seen the value of using “empathy nudges” to drive improved patient outcomes. Below are my recommendations on how medical professionals can show empathy and connect with patients.
Consider your language.
Some doctors might label patients by their symptoms, but unempathetic language dehumanizes patients and causes them to become lists of symptoms rather than real people. In my experience, people do not want to be defined by their condition.
An empathetic question doctors can ask patients is, “What is the one thing you miss most in your life that you can no longer do with this condition?” This can really help medical professionals understand the technicolor of a patient’s life and navigate to a better treatment plan, as doctors can understand what “getting better” means for patients.
Show clinical curiosity.
Take the time to understand your patient. At the first consultation when you are building trust with patients, ask your patient to show you some photos of their pets, children or favorite things, for example.
Active listening is really important. This means paying real attention to your patient to make sure you understand the impact of their condition. It also involves reflective listening and summarizing, meaning you repeat back to patients what you heard. For example, you might say, “So what I’m hearing is XYZ,” and, “I just want to make sure I understand how hard this is for you, so can I just confirm XYZ?”
In my experience, some people need this type of validation. They want to be heard, and a simple but effective way is to validate and clarify what’s most important to them.
Equalize power.
Instead of standing over your patients while they lie down, sit with them for the first part of the consultation. Present yourself as an equal in the way you sit, share and listen to their concerns about their condition.
So, for example, coming out to collect your patient from the waiting room might help your patient feel more at ease than being “called in” to the consultation room. Also, at the beginning of a consultation, sitting opposite a patient, rather than doing the examination first, can help them connect and build trust with you. Often, over the examining table, especially when discussing intimate conditions, patients can feel embarrassed and vulnerable. The more you can equalize power and develop a shared understanding, the more your patient will likely open up to you.
Even the staunchest supporters of AI are likely quick to admit that chatbots cannot replace real-life doctors with all their training, experience and, let’s not forget, humanity. But, as we’ve seen, higher levels of empathy can have a tangible effect on patients, and that means treating the patient as a person, not just a series of symptoms. As Sir William Osler said, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.”
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