Empathy in itself is the highest form
of medicine that the world needs. It helps human beings get into the other
person’s shoes and understand the pain he or she is going through. For medical
professionals, empathy is regarded as an intellectual quality which allows them
to know a patient’s perspective and heal them both mentally and physically. Renowned
educationist, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Dr David K Pillai explains the
importance of harbouring this quality among young medicos.
Note that Dr. David K Pillai is the
chairman of Kings International Medical Academy, based in Tamil Nadu. It is a
top-ranking institute in India offering premium quality FMGE and NEET coaching
and is a record-holder with high pass percentages. Kings International Medical
Academy in association with Davao Medical School Foundation also enables
deserving candidates to pursue MBBS in Philippines at surprisingly low cost.
Coming Back to Being Empathetic, Here’s
How Important It is!
According to Dr. David K Pillai, “Physicians
have to improve their patient-provider communication skills for enhanced
patient experiences. One of the most essentials is physician empathy.”
He elaborated that healthcare professionals
learn to treat diseases eventually, thanks to their extensive coursework and academic
knowledge. However, they, at the same time, need to learn to connect with the
patient being treated, make him/her comfortable and feel his/her emotions to
provide a compassionate care. That’s when the patient responds positively and
the treatment becomes successful.
Let’s take an instance:
As a doctor, you may be treating a
patient who expresses sad feelings and appears to be depressed. Probably, a
close relative has died leading to this mental state. It’s here that your
empathetic approach is needed for the patient besides proper medication.
However, too much emotional
attachment with the patients may hamper the doctor’s ability to make objective
decisions regarding treatment and care. Her/she must have a balance and be
emotionally attuned.
As Dr. David K Pillai recommended,
physicians must be good listeners, patient and should not use bluster in their
response. They must be approachable so that patients can share their problems
freely.
Dr. David K Pillai & His
Contributions in this Regard
Patients expect genuine empathy from their
doctors. Empathetic medical professionals can better understands their
patients’ emotions and fears which help build trust. Under the mentorship of
Dr. David K Pillai, young medicos at Kings International Medical Academy are
trained to acquire this skill so that they can make their patients be at ease
and open up about their problems precisely.
According to him, “Positive
behaviour of a doctor can reduce anxiety and pain of patients to a great
extent. The reason being the pain-killing endorphins that are released in
greater amounts when doctors come with positive vibes and of course, empathy.”
Dr David Pillai, the chairman of Kings International Medical Academy, informs that comprehensive and compassionate healthcare support is the biggest need today. That’s why, he encourages his medical students at the institute to nurture this communication skill and become passionate doctors tomorrow.