Present day health care is faced with important challenges in terms of increasing demands and costs and a shortage of people and financial means to meet these. Patients complain about inadequate and impersonal service, doctors and nurses succumb to ever increasing pressures. In her lecture, Anne will address how mindfulness and compassion can contribute to a more humane and compassionate health care. The presentation will include evidence from both quantitative and qualitative research about the possible value of mindfulness and compassion for patients with depression, cancer and health care professionals themselves.