Visualizing Empathy in Patient-Practitioner Interactions Using Eye-Tracking Technology: Proof-of-Concept Study

Background: Communication between medical practitioners and patients in health care settings is essential for positive patient health outcomes. Nonetheless, researchers have paid scant attention to the significance of clinical empathy in these interactions as a practical skill. Objective: This study aims to understand clinical empathy during practitioner-patient encounters by examining practitioners' and patients' verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Using eye-tracking techniques, we focused on the relationship between traditionally assessed clinical empathy and practitioners' actual gaze behavior. Methods: We used mixed methods to understand clinical encounters by comparing 3 quantitative measures: eye-tracking data, scores from the Korean version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professional, and Consultation and Relational Empathy survey scores. We also conducted qualitative interviews with patients regarding their encounters. Results: One practitioner and 6 patients were involved in the experiment. Perceived empathy on the part of the practitioner was notably higher when the practitioner focused on a patient's mouth area during the consultation, as indicated by gaze patterns that focused on a patient's face. Furthermore, an analysis of areas of interest revealed different patterns in interactions with new as opposed to returning patients. Postconsultation interviews suggested that task-oriented and socially oriented empathy are critical in aligning with patients' expectations of empathetic communication. Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study advocates a multidimensional approach to clinical empathy, revealing that a combination of verbal and nonverbal behaviors significantly reinforces perceived empathy from health care workers. This evolved paradigm of empathy underscores the profound consequences for medical education and the quality of health care delivery.