Healthcare providers undergo years of training and are constantly updating their skills to deliver the highest quality care. But we know that sometimes, the people we treat would benefit the most from having a hand to hold or spending an extra moment with their doctor or nurse.
In a busy healthcare setting, it can be a challenge for clinicians to find opportunities to embed those moments of empathy and compassion into every patient interaction. And given that developing a better bedside manner isn’t part of the typical training healthcare professionals receive, it can be difficult to know where to start.
That’s why St. Joseph’s Health System has funded Canada’s first new chair in compassionate care, to drive research and training to improve the delivery of empathetic, compassionate healthcare. Dr. Shane Sinclair, one of Canada’s leading experts in compassionate care, has been appointed as the inaugural cross-Canada chair in compassionate care. This new role, created in partnership with the University of Calgary, will be dedicated to advancing compassion as a measurable, evidence-based cornerstone of healthcare.
Through research and training programs, Dr. Sinclair will aim to build a sustainable healthcare model rooted in compassion and driven by innovation. Compassionate care is linked to better quality of life for patients, improved health outcomes and greater satisfaction in their healthcare experience.
Research also shows that prioritizing compassion can enhance healthcare workers’ personal and professional wellness by fighting fatigue, lowering occupational stress and increasing workplace well-being.
“We know that empathy and compassion are tied to better health outcomes, which is why it is so important to find innovative ways to embed compassion into everything we do,” said Dr. Mike Heenan, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health System. “This new chair in compassionate care, led by Dr. Sinclair, will lead to evidence-based, real-world benefits to all those we care for.”
Under Dr. Sinclair’s leadership, the chair will:
- Serve as an expert advisor to researchers, policymakers and healthcare leaders to embed compassion in care systems nationwide.
- Implement and evaluate the Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire, a validated tool measuring patients’ experiences of compassion in healthcare.
- Expand EnACT training, designed to help healthcare workers and leaders strengthen compassionate practice.
Dr. Sinclair pioneered research on the transformative power of compassion for patients and families facing serious illness and the healthcare providers who care for them. His work spans from pediatric oncology to palliative care, supporting healthcare providers and organizations with the goal of improving compassionate care across all levels of the organization – from bedside to boardroom.
As director of the Compassion Research Lab, Sinclair has developed rigorous scientific methods to measure compassion. He has conducted numerous studies that underscore the positive links between compassion and healthcare quality.
“We look forward to working with Dr. Sinclair as we continue to centre compassion in our research,” said Dr. Lehana Thabane, vice-president, research, St. Joseph’s Health System and scientific director of The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton. “By formally embedding compassion in our world-leading research and discovery, we will deepen the impact of our work for patients and communities.”
Dr. Sinclair will serve a five-year term which officially begins on December 1, 2025. The position is in partnership with the University of Calgary and funded by St. Joseph’s Health System, St. Joseph’s Care Group and Covenant Health.