The role of empathy in healthcare
Eva and Romy, two students at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at UM, took a year of from their studies to direct the Patient as a Person foundation (Mens Achter de Patiënt (in Dutch: Mens achter de Patiënt), or in short MAP. MAP advocates for human-centered care in the field of healthcare, which they aim to achieve through education.
During the MAP educational programme, students first study the topic of healthcare and evaluate the healthcare system. After that, small groups of students get matched with one patient. The students can ask the patients any questions they have, such as 'what was the impact of your illness on your partner?', 'do you feel understood by your healthcare professionals?' or 'how can I best be empathic towards a patient?'. "The aim of the meeting is to let the conversation flow, guided by the patient’s and student’s interests. That is why we don't want the students to prepare a list of questions upfront. However, we do provide a little 'conversation instrument', in case the conversation falls flat. Those questions focus on daily functioning, participation, bodily functions, quality of life, mental well-being and meaningfulness."
The meetings take place in a location of the patient’s choosing; it could be in a hospital, a café or at the patient’s home. “One time, a patient diagnosed with a paralysis took students to a supermarket, asking them to gather groceries using only one arm. This way, students can experience – to some extent – the disease a patient suffers from within context. The whole experience makes students aware of the impact an illness can have on someone’s mental and social life."
Mens Achter de Patiënt in a nutshell
Three years ago, Medicine student Matthijs Bosveld and Health Sciences student Sjim Romme started Mens Achter de Patiënt. Their goals: students should meet more real patients during their bachelor, and realize the importance of compassion in their field of study. MAP's educational programme connects students (in Medicine, Health Sciences, and European Public Health) with people who have had experiences with illnesses and the healthcare system. This year, MAP has more than 300 patients and 1,000 students registered in their system.
It only takes one second
Photograph by Muzna Hatmi
"We want to teach students that an extra second of a healthcare professional's time can be life-changing for someone suffering from an illness. The importance of empathy is essential, we believe that putting an arm around a shoulder can heal someone a lot better than being distant, sitting behind a laptop screen. The person behind the patient is very important and healthcare professionals should not just see through the patient.
In hospitals, a nurse or a specialist often only comes face-to-face with a patient once, and then only for a few minutes. And if they have bad news to tell, the patient’s whole life can change in just an instant. There’s not enough awareness about the impact this behaviour and approach might have.
It is not that healthcare professionals have bad intentions, it is just that when people have been working in a field for a particularly long time, they can often see past small issues. While doctors are used to the hospital environment, it might be a first time for the patient.
In those cases, simply dedicating a little more time and performing small acts of kindness can go a long way for the patients who are often scared and trust their doctors."
A touching experience
It is not just students’ whose lives are touched by this experience. The participating patients get the chance to reflect on the times they were diagnosed and to appreciate how far they have come since then. It is also motivating for them to know that they have contributed to the education and future of healthcare.
Two times a year, MAP hosts a grand event to thank all the people who have participated. "This is a family event where everyone feels incredibly connected. Events like these also benefit the patients' social lives, as they often reduce their interactions with the world after being diagnosed with an illness."
For more information (or if you are a student who wants to be involved with the foundation), you can visit the website of Mens Achter de Patiënt or contact them via info@mensachterdepatient.nl.
As of June 2020, Maastricht University has given MAP permission to use the knowledge acquired in a pilot project at the university to continue developing the foundation independently. The foundation will be able to continue developing its socially relevant initiative independently, and to expand to other universities and colleges in the Netherlands and beyond. Read more >>>
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