1. The Science of Compassionate Care Donald J. Parker President and CEO

2. Empathy Empathy (understanding patient’s concerns) and Sympathy Sympathy (feeling patient’s emotions) The combination is a response to the distress of others and a desire to alleviate that distress. COMPASSION LIES AT THE INTERSECTION OF:

3. Compassionate Care addresses the patient’s innate need for connection and relationships and is based on attentive listening and a desire to understand the patient’s context and perspective.

4. The ability to adjust his/her responses to the patient’s needs. The clinical expertise and professionalism to respond effectively and appropriately. An awareness by the provider of how his/her reactions affect interactions with the patient and decisions about care. The ability to use self awareness to manage his/her emotions, in order to act in the patient’s best interest.

5. What is institutional Compassion?

6. Can we measure the expression of compassion between individuals? Can we measure the impact of compassion on givers and receivers? Can we train/influence people to be compassionate?

9. Respect. Appropriate expressions of caring concern. Information and decision-making processes that are tailored to patient’s needs.

10. 1. Empathy, emotional support and efforts to understand and relieve the patient’s distress and suffering. 2. Effective communication within interactions over time and across settings.

11. 3. Respect for and facilitation of patient’s and family’s participation in decisions and care. 4. Contextual knowledge of the patient as an individual within a network of relationships at home and in the community.

12.  Diabetes  Pain control  Physical and mental quality of life in cancer patients  Primary care  Geriatric care  Decreases anxiety, depression and P.T.S.D.  Reduces readmission rates for heart failure and pneumonia patients  Blood pressure Effective communication is shown to improve :

13. Only 53% of Patients Only 58% of Physicians Felt the United States Health Care System was providing compassionate care.

14. Only 55% of Physicians Only 67% of Patients Felt that changes in the Health Care System, including the emphasis on controlling costs, would reduce the practice of compassionate care.

15. Carrier Clinic’s Patient Experience and Quality teams proposed the creation of a

16. Informed shared decision-making. Continuity of care. Trust. Coordination of care across settings. Attention to patient preferences.

17. CMS include a Compassionate Care Index in National Quality Standards The Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute (created by the Affordable Care Act) fund research to determine which aspects of Compassionate Care have the greatest impact on health outcomes, quality of life and patient satisfaction. New health care payment systems, including CMS’ proposal value-based purchasing system, reward providers for Compassionate Care they provide to patients and families.

18. Comprehensive training programs be developed to help heath care professionals and trainees develop the necessary skills required to deliver Compassionate Care.

19. A commitment to involving patients and families in care improvement activities. Hiring practices and training programs that focus on compassion A culture of experimentation, Compassionate Care champions and units that model compassion and share their strategies with others

20. A process that unfolds in response to suffering. It begins with the recognition of suffering, which gives rise to thoughts and feelings of empathy and concern. This, in turn, motivates action to relieve suffering. Compassion

21.  Lower staff turnover  Higher retention  Recruitment of more highly qualified staff  Greater patient loyalty  Reduced cost from shorter lengths of stay  Lower rates of re- hospitalization  Better health outcomes Key findings: Organizations that place a high priority on delivering Compassionate Care benefit from:

22. Higher job satisfaction. Better health. Fewer medical errors. Deeper connection with their caregivers.

23. Humans have a natural capacity for compassion. Everyday stress, social pressure and life experience make it difficult to fully express our capacity. Each of us can choose to nurture and grow the compassionate instinct- like a plant cultivated from a seed. This process requires patience, steady care, proper tools and a supportive environment.

24. Training of our own minds. Developing specific skills in how we relate to other. Intentionally choosing thoughts and actions.

25. Daily meditation practice to develop loving- kindness, empathy and compassion. Weekly classes that includes lectures and in- class discussions about compassion. In-class partner and small group listening and communication exercises. Real-world homework assignments to practice compassionate thoughts and actions.

26. The strength to be present with suffering. The courage to take compassionate action. The resilience to prevent compassion fatigue. Improvement of personal and work relationship. Improvement in one’s own health, happiness and well-being. Increased self-compassion and self-care.