Eighth Annual PsychoOncology Symposium

Friday, October 29, 2010
Glaser Auditorium | Swedish Medical Center/FirstHill

“What is the experience of serious, life-threatening illness?”

Empathy is an interaction in which one person communicates an appreciative understanding of the mental state and life circumstances of the other. On Friday, October 29th, we will examine the role of empathy in caring for seriously ill or dying patients. Throughout the day, experts in neurobiology, psychiatry and oncology will provide presentations on empathic communication in clinical care. Attendees will also observe interviews of patients who are seriously ill and engage in group discussions, giving consideration to the following important questions: 

• Where does empathy come from, and how does it develop?
• What is the role of empathy in the care of seriously ill or dying patients?
• Are there strategies for cultivating empathic relationships between clinician and patient?
• How do we, as clinicians, recognize barriers to empathic communication?