A Comprehensive Clinical Model of Suffering

Area of Science:

• Medical Humanities
• Family Medicine
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Suffering is integral to the illness experience, posing a significant challenge in patient care.
• Relieving patient suffering is a core obligation of medical practice.
• Distress, injury, disease, and loss can threaten the meaning within a patient's personal narrative, leading to suffering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new Comprehensive Clinical Model of Suffering (CCMS) tailored for family medicine.
• To provide a structured framework for clinicians to recognize and manage patient suffering.
• To enhance whole-patient care by addressing the multifaceted nature of suffering.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Comprehensive Clinical Model of Suffering (CCMS).
• The CCMS is structured around 4 axes and 8 domains, forming a 'Review of Suffering'.
• The model is designed for application in clinical care and teaching.

Main Results:

• The CCMS offers a systematic approach to assessing and managing patient suffering.
• It can guide clinical observation and empathetic patient questioning.
• The model provides a framework for discussing complex patient cases in medical education.

Conclusions:

• The CCMS can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical encounters.
• Implementation may enhance patient care and outcomes.
• Further evaluation is needed for its application in practice, training, and research.