11/13/2025
Healthcare providers undergo years of training and are constantly updating their skills to deliver the highest quality care. But we know that sometimes, the people we treat would benefit the most from having a hand to hold or spending an extra moment with their doctor or nurse.
In a busy healthcare setting, it can be a challenge for clinicians to find opportunities to embed those moments of empathy and compassion into every patient interaction. And given that developing a better bedside manner isn’t part of the typical training healthcare professionals receive, it can be difficult to know where to start.
That’s why St. Joseph’s Health System has funded Canada’s first new chair in compassionate care, to drive research and training to improve the delivery of empathetic, compassionate healthcare. Dr. Shane Sinclair, one of Canada’s leading experts in compassionate care, has been appointed as the inaugural cross-Canada chair in compassionate care. This new role, created in partnership with the University of Calgary, will be dedicated to advancing compassion as a measurable, evidence-based cornerstone of healthcare.
Through research and training programs, Dr. Sinclair will aim to build a sustainable healthcare model rooted in compassion and driven by innovation. Compassionate care is linked to better quality of life for patients, improved health outcomes and greater satisfaction in their healthcare experience.
Research also shows that prioritizing compassion can enhance healthcare workers’ personal and professional wellness by fighting fatigue, lowering occupational stress and increasing workplace well-being.
Dr. Sinclair will serve a five-year term which officially begins on December 1, 2025. The position is in partnership with the University of Calgary and funded by St. Joseph’s Health System, St. Joseph’s Care Group and Covenant Health. You can read more here: https://bit.ly/3JZ2qyT
St. Joseph's Villa, Margaret’s Place Hospice and Foundation St. Joseph's Home Care St. Mary’s Health at Home St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre Stedman Community Hospice St. Joseph's Health Centre and Foundation Guelph Compassion Research Lab