What Are Doctors For? A Call for Compassion-Based Metrics as a Measure of Physician Value

PLAIN-LANGUAGE ARTICLE SUMMARY

Essay

A Return to Compassion-Based Measures of Physicians’ Worth is Urgently Needed for Improvement of Population Health and Reduction of Physician Burnout 

Background: Physician value is measured today in terms of productivity, volume, finance, outcomes, and cure rates in addition to a vast knowledge base. Prior to the 20th century, physicians were not expected to excel at speed of care. Neither were they recognized for the volume of decisions made in a short period of time. Instead, their work was rooted in their role as “compassionate witnesses.” 

Key Argument: Population health and productivity metrics are necessary measurements for health system outcomes. However, these metrics are poor measures of a physician’s full performance and can lead to feelings of inadequacy and loss of purpose. 

Why It Matters: A new paradigm for metrics based on traditional understandings of physicians’ value—their ability to compassionately care—can benefit efforts to avert burnout and imposter syndrome. Such a measure could improve patient satisfaction and outcomes, population health, and physician well-being.