Cited by 328Empathy and Medical EducationPalliative and Oncologic CarePalliative Care and End-of-Life Issues

Compassion in Health Care: An Empirical Model

Open access
Sinclair, Shane, McClement, Susan, Raffin-Bouchal, Shelley, Hack, Thomas F., Hagen, Neil A., McConnell, Shelagh, Chochinov, Harvey Max·2016·Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Abstract

CONTEXT: Compassion is frequently referenced as a hallmark of quality care by patients, health care providers, health care administrators, and policy makers. Despite its putative centrality, including its institution in recent health care reform, an empirical understanding based on the perspectives of patients, the recipients of compassion, is lacking-making compassion one of the most referenced yet poorly understood elements of quality care. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate palliative cancer patients' understanding and experiences of compassion to provide a critical perspective on the nature and importance of compassion. METHODS: This grounded theory study used semi-structured interviews to investigate how patients understand and experience compassion in clinical care. Using convenience and theoretical sampling, 53 advanced cancer inpatients were recruited over a seven-month period from a specialized palliative care unit and hospital-wide palliative care service within a Canadian urban setting. Data were analyzed by four members of the research team through the three stages of Straussian grounded theory. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis yielded seven categories, each containing distinct themes and subthemes. Together, they constitute components of the compassion model-the first empirically based clinical model of compassion. The model defines compassion as a virtuous response that seeks to address the suffering and needs of a person through relational understanding and action. CONCLUSION: The components of the compassion model provide insight into how patients understand and experience compassion, providing the necessary empirical foundation to develop future research, measures, training, and clinical care based on this vital feature of quality care.

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  • Compassion qualities can be cultivated or eroded over time, with practice setting being one of the most powerful modifiers.

    “The authors note however that, compassion qualities can be cultivated or eroded over time, with practice setting being one of the most powerful modifiers.”

    From Mindfulness and compassion-oriented practices at work reduce distress and enhance self-care of palliative care teams: a mixed-method evaluation of an "on the job" program. (2018) · cites this paper as [73]

    The Discussion (p. 10) suggests compassion can be cultivated and that health care training may erode compassionate qualities over time. It does not identify the practice setting as one of the most powerful modifiers; instead, it discusses learners’ baseline qualities and calls for further research on contextual differences. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Although the roots of compassion seem to be innate, current evidence suggests that training, including meditation, can help to sustain compassion and nurture it over time.

    “Thus, although the roots of compassion seem to be innate, current evidence suggests that training, including meditation, can help to sustain compassion and nurture it over time.”

    From Mindfulness and compassion-oriented practices at work reduce distress and enhance self-care of palliative care teams: a mixed-method evaluation of an "on the job" program. (2018) · cites this paper as [73]

    The Discussion (p. 10) suggests compassion can be cultivated and may depend partly on innate qualities. It proposes training to enhance or preserve those qualities over time, but calls for longitudinal research on whether the effects persist; it does not identify meditation as a training method. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • Patient's perceived compassion as being rooted in the virtues of their health care provider, generating the first evidence-based definition of compassion-a virtuous response that seeks to address the suffering and needs of a person through relational understanding and action.

    “They concluded that patient’s perceived compassion as being rooted in the virtues of their health care provider, generating the first evidence-based definition of compassion—a virtuous response that seeks to address the suffering and needs of a person through relational understanding and action.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

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Authors
Sinclair, S., McClement, S., Raffin-Bouchal, S., Hack, T. F., Hagen, N. A., McConnell, S., & Chochinov, H. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Calgary (CA)
  • CancerCare Manitoba (CA)
Corresponding author
Sinclair, Shane
Venue
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-02
Volume
51
Issue
2
Pages
193-203
ISSN
0885-3924 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1912558312
Cited by
328
References
39
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 10
FWCI
11.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Libraries and Cultural Resources (University of Calgary) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (125931)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Empathy and Medical Education
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
Keywords
compassion, palliative care, advanced cancer, patient experience, quality of care, patient suffering, relational understanding
MeSH terms
Canada, Empathy, Female, Humans, Inpatients, Interviews as Topic, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Theoretical, Neoplasms, Palliative Care, Urban Population, Qualitative Research

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