A1 – Reverse Engineering: Infusing Compassion into PCBH and Healthcare

Summary

Growing research is detailing the importance of healthcare being delivered in a compassionate manner. Unfortunately, and quite ironically, during this same time (i.e., increasing evidence detailing the importance of compassionate care), an equal amount of research is showing that healthcare in the US is becoming less compassionate. This decrease in compassion has correlated to worse health outcomes, lower treatment adherence, and provider burnout, among other healthcare outcomes. Integrated behavioral health models are not immune to this reality and while not empirically researched, one could posit that models such as Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) are vulnerable to succumbing to the dearth of compassion in healthcare, and, at times, promoted an algorithmic and biomedical approach to behavioral health needs. To this end, this presentation will discuss the concept of “Reverse Engineering”and provide attendees actionable steps to help them infuse compassion within their PCBH and medical visits. Data will be presented regarding a clinic’s patient satisfaction and provider engagement scores that support compassion being cultivated in the medical clinic through these initiatives. Further, this presentation will discuss how compassionate care can create a context where evidence-based/informed interventions can be “uptaken”by patients, especially patients that are coming from complex psychosocial contexts. Lastly, reflections from the three presenters will be discussed and how this “Reverse Engineering”and compassionate approach helps their clinical work become rewarding, engaging, and buffer against burnout.