Provision of Compassionate and Empathic Care as a Well-Being Preservation Tool for Emergency Physicians: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: Compassion and physician well-being are two key components related to quality care in health including emergency medicine. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of compassion in care on the well-being of emergency physicians. We conducted a scoping review to explore the impact of provision of compassionate care by emergency physicians on their well-being and subconcepts. Methods: Four electronic databases and grey literature were searched to find evidence related to compassion, empathy, self-compassion, and their impact on emergency physicians’ well-being. Following title and abstract review, two reviewers independently screened full-text articles, and extracted data. Data were presented using descriptive statistics and a narrative analysis. Results: A total of 803 reports were identified in databases. Three articles met eligibility criteria for data extraction. None directly examined compassion and well-being. Included studies addressed empathy and burnout in emergency medicine professionals. Conclusion: No high-quality evidence could be found on the topic in the population of interest. Literature related to the topic of compassion in physicians, especially in emergency physicians, a field known for its high demand and stress levels, is currently scarce and additional evidence is needed to better describe and understand the association between physicians’ compassion and well-being.