BATHE Technique: A Comprehensive Review of the Evidence and its Application in Healthcare

The Background–Affect–Trouble–Handling–Empathy (BATHE) technique is a structured, empathy-oriented consultation model increasingly applied in primary and inpatient healthcare settings. This study aimed to comprehensively review the evidence and application of BATHE technique in healthcare setting. This narrative review, through a targeted literature search strategy, synthesized evidence from 33 peer-reviewed studies. Of these, 17 studies explored the use of BATHE technology in patient-physician consultation cases and training methods, while the remaining 16 focused on its clinical application in improving patient satisfaction, empowerment, self-management, and reducing preoperative anxiety. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) from Nigeria, India, and South Korea showed that BATHE-based interventions improved patient satisfaction by 15–30% compared to standard care. A Turkish study in Type 2 diabetes patients reported significantly higher Diabetes Empowerment Scale scores in the intervention group (Δ = 10.6 vs. 5.6, p < 0.001). UK-based qualitative studies highlighted enhanced patient self-management and awareness. Preoperative trials (n = 463) indicated reduced anxiety scores (STAI) by 3–4 points. However, fidelity studies revealed implementation inconsistencies, including step omissions and deviation from the BATHE sequence, with time constraints being a major barrier in clinical practice. BATHE demonstrates short-term efficacy in enhancing patient experience, empowerment, and emotional well‑being across cultures. However, its long-term impact on physiological and behavioral outcomes remains untested. Future research should include large-scale, longitudinal RCTs linking BATHE to hard clinical endpoints and explore how to incorporate BATHE technique into physicians' routine practice to further patient satisfaction and patient care quality.