HJAR Mar/Apr 2020

48 MAR / APR 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS DIALOGUE COLUMN LEADERSHIP HEALTHCARE organizations with a strong culture of compassionate care all have one thing in common–passionate leadership that sees the value of compassionate care. Compassionate care is not just the health- care provider’s job. Even though leaders are often removed from direct bedside patient care, they have a responsibility to ensure compassionate care is being delivered to every patient. A leader’s responsibility lies within their team member’s well-being, which has shown to translate into bedside compassionate care. Something as simple as thanking a co-worker, or sharing a compli- ment with the group makes individuals feel valued, and that they are an integral part of the team. Characteristics of compassionate COMPASSIONATE CARE Compassionate care is a fundamental aspect of any healthcare organization. Compassionate care creates better outcomes for healthcare organizations through patient perception of care, and far outweighs task-only patient care delivery. We hear the words compassionate care on a daily basis, but what does it really mean? My personal favorite simplified definition of compassionate care is: actions taken to relieve suffering in others, whether physically or emotionally. In other words, it means going above and beyond normal healthcare standards to deliver the utmost individualized, and empathetic care to patients. Creating a culture of compassionate care begins with a commitment to excellence from every team member in your organization.