UNTHSC Study Reveals Empathy's Powerful Impact on Chronic Pain Management

John C. Licciardone, DO, MS, MBA

The latest article in JAMA Network Open, titled "Physician Empathy and Chronic Pain Outcomes," examines national data gathered by the Pain Registry for Epidemiological, Clinical, and Interventional Studies and Innovation (PRECISION) at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Led by John C. Licciardone, DO, MS, MBA, Director of PRECISION, the research involved collaboration with students from HSC’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, including Yen Tran, Khang Ngo, David Toledo, and Navya Peddireddy, alongside Subhash Aryal, PhD, a registry biostatistician affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. Their findings, drawn from a study of 1,470 adults with chronic low-back pain, highlight a significant link between patient outcomes and the level of empathy displayed by physicians, underscoring the critical role of empathy in chronic pain management.