Empathy in Physician–Patient Relationship: The Construct and Its Applicability to India’s Health Care

Abstract

Empathy in physician–patient relationship is widely discussed and debated as a critical input that helps to enhance the effectiveness of a therapeutic process and to improve the well-being of the patient and the physician. This article, based on relevant literature, which includes theoretical insights and conducted studies of empathy, presents a brief thematic review of empathy, with a specific focus on the role played by it in physician–patient relation and the usefulness of a patient-centred approach and empathetic understanding in enhancing positive health outcomes. Further, while examining the challenge to empathy in India’s current health care scenario, this study maintains that, amidst difficult circumstances, instances of empathetic behaviour still prevail and empathy hopefully has a definite role to play in India’s medical care.