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Qualitative Health Research
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Experiencing "The Other Side": A Study of Empathy and Empowerment in General Practitioners Who Have Been Patients

Fiona E. Fox

Hope House Surgery, Radstock, United Kingdom

Karen J. Rodham

University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom, psskr{at}bath.ac.uk

Michael F. Harris

Hope House Surgery, Radstock, United Kingdom

Gordon J. Taylor

University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom

Jane Sutton

University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom

Jenny Scott

University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom

Brian Robinson

Bristol General Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom

Work-related pressures and susceptibility to health problems mean that many general practitioners (GPs) will, at some stage, experience the role of patient. However qualitative evidence about their experiences of illness and patienthood is sparse. Our study offers an interpretative perspective on GPs’ experiences of illness and the influence that this has had on their practice. Seventeen GPs who had experienced significant illness took part in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings highlight the relationship between empathy and empowerment and explore the role of self-disclosure of GP status by GPs in consultations. We make suggestions as to how empathy in doctor—patient relationships can be developed through consideration of power and status as well as through interaction with patients from similar backgrounds. Future research should focus on more specific ways to integrate these ideas into medical training.

Key Words: communication • doctor—patient • health care professionals • illness and disease • experiences • interpretive methods • interviews • semistructured

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 19, No. 11, 1580-1588 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732309350732
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