Because everyone wants and deserves better
There is abundant evidence within the world of otherwise remarkable medical advances that many people do not experience humanized healthcare. Studies consistently find that patients leave encounters not having discussed what is most important to them, not understanding or misunderstanding their condition and what they should do about it, not knowing what decision to make or having unknowingly made a decision that doesn’t match their goals, or feeling disrespected, treated like an object or a disease rather than as a person, and not able to trust the advice given to them as a result. Perhaps most tragically, these experiences recur more often among people of color, or by those who are marginalized or stigmatized, which further disadvantages those who already face societal disadvantage.
Consequences of dehumanized care
In addition to the profound human suffering that results from these deficits, there are also grave practical consequences that undermine human health. Healthcare professionals’ failure to communicate well and form therapeutic relationships with patients adversely impacts patients’ confidence, trust, treatment adherence, symptoms, and chronic disease management – resulting in increased medication errors, hospital readmissions, and death.
