Physician empathy in medical education and practice: experience with the Jefferson scale of physician empathy

Abstract

Despite the importance of physician empathy in patient care, empirical investigation on the topic is scarce because of conceptual ambiguity and a lack of a psychometrically sound tool for measuring physician empathy. In this article we describe different conceptual views of empathy, draw a distinction between empathy and sympathy, and define physician empathy. We also describe the development and psychometric properties (ie, validity and reliability) of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), a brief research tool (20 Likert-type items) that we developed as a response to a need for an operational measure of physician empathy. We outline an agenda for future research on physician empathy. We conclude that research regarding physician empathy is crucial considering the rapid developments in biotechnology and the current trend toward market-driven, corporate medicine, which strains the physician-patient relationships.