A Visual Arts Activity to Support Residents as They Care for “Difficult Patients”

<b>Background</b> Certain patients significantly challenge the care team, increasing the risk of burnout as clinicians struggle to perform their best work while meeting the needs of their patients. Imagining another's perspective, a clinical empathy skill, can increase compassion and lower distress when interacting with these patients. <b>Objective</b> To evaluate the effectiveness of an art-based perspective-taking activity on clinicians' feelings of discomfort when anticipating encounters with challenging patients. <b>Methods</b> This museum-based session was conducted from 2017 to 2022 (virtual sessions in 2020) by faculty trained in using arts-based methods to teach. Residents (n=142) in a university-based internal medicine residency program along with health professionals, trainees, and faculty (n=12) attending an international conference were invited to participate. Participants recalled a challenging patient, chose a piece of art that might be meaningful to this person, and discussed their choice and insights gained. Participants completed pre-post ratings of anticipated discomfort. Inaugural participants submitted written reflections on these ratings. Data were analyzed using paired <i>t</i> tests and content analysis. <b>Results</b> Five 90-minute sessions were conducted with 65 internal medicine residents and 12 faculty; 75 of 77 total participants completed pre-post discomfort ratings (response rate 97.4%). Anticipated discomfort decreased after sessions (mean pre=5.38; post=4.13; <i>P</i><.01). Open-ended responses aligned with a transition from self to other focus in perspective-taking. Costs were minimized by using art from a campus museum, paper and pencil surveys, and faculty academic time. <b>Conclusions</b> This innovative visual arts-based activity to increase empathy for challenging patients is simple, feasible, self-contained, and cost-effective.