Compassionate Care

WHO Report: Highlights compassion as crucial for improving Primary Health Care (PHC), addressing mental health, and delivering patient-centered care.

What is Compassion in PHC: Recognizing suffering and acting to alleviate it within essential health services, enhancing care quality, accessibility, and equity.

Significance: Compassion combines emotional connection with action, differing from passive sympathy or emotionally draining empathy.

Mental Health Crisis: High prevalence of mental disorders in India (13.7%), economic loss (USD 1.03 trillion, 2012-2030), and treatment gap (70-92%). Compassion vital for responsive, holistic care.

Inclusive Care: Compassion promotes inclusion for marginalized groups like Dalits, Adivasis, LGBTQ+, and persons with disabilities.

Institutionalizing Compassion: Integrate compassion as a measurable dimension of Quality of Care (QoC).

Enhance HWC Capacity: Train health workers in trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and compassionate communication.

Integrate Metrics in Audits: Use patient feedback on compassion in outcome-based health grants.

Reform Curriculum: Introduce modules on compassionate leadership and grief counseling.

Mental Health Interventions: Embed empathy training in Tele MANAS. Promote home visits and community dialogue.

Clinical Courage Example: A doctor’s decision to treat a TB patient with compassion in Rajasthan, where resources are limited, demonstrates courage and the value of focusing on the patient’s needs.

SWATI model: An NGO trains ASHA workers to support survivors of violence.

Tamil Nadu Disaster Preparedness: The health system in Tamil Nadu has a more structured governance, accountability mechanisms, and proactive disaster response.

Importance of People-centred Healthcare: Focus on empowering people to be responsive in the existing system.