Prof Tjandra Reminds Doctors to Have Empathy and 'Einfühlung', What Is It?

Professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama, a specialist in pulmonology and respiratory medicine and the Postgraduate Director at YARSI University, has stated that a doctor must always provide empathy to patients, regardless of the circumstances. He said that a patient who is ill not only experiences physical problems but may also face mental pressure due to the situation they are in. “A doctor must certainly give empathy to the patient, whatever the situation, because the patient is indeed sick, not only physically but there may also be mental pressure in facing the existing situation,” said Prof Tjandra in a written statement received by Republika on Wednesday (5/8/2026).

He added that beyond empathy, a doctor must also possess the spirit of ‘einfühlung’, which is the ability to delve into, share in feeling, and deeply understand the mental burden and suffering of their patient. Thus, a doctor does not only treat physical illness but also cares about the patient’s psychological condition. “This is a more fundamental understanding than the concept of empathy. Einfühlung describes a person’s ability to immerse themselves in, absorb, or share in feeling the inner life and point of view of another person; in this case, a doctor needs and must have einfuhlung for the patient,” said Prof Tjandra.

He considered the recent viral incident, where a number of healthcare workers wrote unempathetic comments on the social media post of a BPJS patient who had not yet received an inpatient room and subsequently died, to be very concerning. He reminded that patients do not only complain about their illness but also various other circumstances related to that illness. “It is certainly concerning if there is a doctor who does not empathise with their patient’s condition and does not have einfuhlung about what their patient is feeling. It must be remembered that patients do not only complain about their state of illness but also various circumstances related to their state of illness, and this must be understood and given adequate empathy,” he said.