Exploring empathy's role as a buffer against physician burnout: a narrative review

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Physician well-being
• Psychology

Background:

• Physician burnout is prevalent and negatively impacts patient care.
• The relationship between empathy and burnout in physicians is not fully understood.
• This review focuses on whether empathy protects physicians from burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and interpret research on the empathy-burnout relationship in physicians.
• To evaluate empathy as a potential protective factor against physician burnout.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
• Searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for studies on empathy, burnout, and physicians.
• Included studies assessing empathy using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy in specialist or resident physicians.

Main Results:

• 14 studies were reviewed.
• 12 studies showed a negative correlation between empathy and burnout.
• 9 studies indicated higher empathy was associated with lower burnout levels.

Conclusions:

• A negative correlation exists between physician empathy and burnout.
• Empathy appears to be a protective factor against burnout.
• Empathy-enhancing interventions may help mitigate physician burnout.