Physicians Describe Relational and Systemic Forces Shaping Humanistic Practice

Researchers conducted four 90-minute virtual focus groups in January and February 2023 with 26 practicing physicians from multiple specialties and 15 US states. Participants had between 0 and 53 years in practice, with a mean of about 18 years. The discussions explored how physicians define, develop and experience humanistic practice; transcripts were analyzed thematically.

Five themes emerged. Physicians described humanistic practice as relational and integral to competent care, developed through relationships with patients, mentors and role models. They said these relationships could also support clinician resilience. Participants reported tension between humanistic care and system priorities centered on efficiency, standardization and commercialization. They also described medical training culture and pedagogy as potentially undermining humanism.

The findings highlight physicians’ perspectives on educational and organizational conditions that may support or hinder humanistic care. The study is qualitative and based on a small, self-selected sample recruited through professional networks and listservs; it does not establish how common these experiences are or test interventions. The authors argue that efforts to foster humanistic practice should address both medical education and the healthcare systems in which clinicians work.