This commentary argues that compassion is a critical, underutilized clinical tool in the care of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), particularly in the emergency department (ED). The authors highlight how stigma—both structural and interpersonal—continues to shape the experiences of patients with OUD, often leading to delayed care, mistrust, and poorer outcomes.

Drawing on emerging evidence, the article emphasizes that compassionate interactions from ED clinicians can reduce patients’ fear of enacted stigma, improve engagement with treatment, and strengthen therapeutic alliance. The authors frame compassion not as an abstract ideal but as a practical, teachable, and measurable intervention that can meaningfully improve care quality.

They call for ED systems to intentionally cultivate compassion through training, workflow design, and institutional culture. By “opening a window” to see patients with OUD through a lens of humanity rather than judgment, clinicians can help counteract stigma, support recovery, and deliver more equitable emergency care.

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