Embracing Empathy: The Critical Role of Kindness in Healthcare

Kindness is not just about being polite—it is a fundamental part of what it means to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. Defined as a “benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed toward another person” by The American Psychological Association, kindness involves empathy and compassion rooted in the desire to heal.

The psychological and physiological benefits of kindness in healthcare are well-documented. Research from Harvard Medical reveals that patients who perceive their healthcare providers as empathetic experienced better outcomes in terms of pain intensity, functional disability, and overall health-related quality of life.

When healthcare providers engage in kind interactions, patient adherence to treatment plans can improve significantly, as patients who feel heard and valued are more likely to trust their provider’s guidance. Patients themselves want to see more kindness in healthcare as well. According to a survey by Dignity Health, 87% of patients said kindness is the most important factor in choosing a physician.

However, despite the clear benefits of kindness in healthcare, it is not widely prioritized. An alarming 58% of Americans believe that U.S. culture—including the media, public figures, and their communities—does not place a high enough value on kindness. This highlights the potential of kindness to revolutionize healthcare by reaching the heart of what it truly means to heal. The most efficient care is inherently rooted in compassion, which makes it all the more important to foster a culture of kindness in healthcare in order to deliver the highest quality of care to patients.

Kindness is not just beneficial from a moral perspective, it also yields significant benefits for healthcare organizations in terms of financial and operational success. Healthcare organizations that prioritize kindness see improvements in patient satisfaction, workforce retention, and financial performance. It also helps improve the patient experience.

Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of healthcare success, and it is essential to keep patients happy and satisfied after every visit. Kindness is not only an effective way to achieve this goal, but it is a simple one as well. A notable 72% of Americans indicate they would be willing to pay more for physicians who emphasize kindness when treating patients, highlighting the value placed on compassionate care. In contrast, 90% of patients would switch physicians if they were treated unkindly.

Healthcare organizations that have a strong culture of kindness also retain more of their staff and see higher engagement. Burnout and turnover rates among healthcare professionals are at an all-time high, especially after the pandemic, but staff who work in compassionate environments are more likely to succeed.

Kindness heals, and compassionate leadership is consistently linked to improved organizational culture and employee engagement. It is clear that by embedding kindness into the very fabric of their organization, healthcare leaders can enhance patient trust, improve workforce stability and morale, and strengthen their bottom line, all while delivering compassionate and effective healthcare to the patients they serve.

Ready to learn more about how an incident management system can help your organization foster kindness and enhance patient trust? Set up a call with our team to learn how our software can help you meet your goals.