In:Engagement in Professional Genres:
Edited by Carmen Sancho Guinda
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 301] 2019
► pp. 119–136
Chapter 7Patients engaging their doctors in the doctor-patient relationship
Discourse perspectives on relationship-centred care
Robyn Woodward-Kron | Department of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Australia
Emily Wilson | Department of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Australia | Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia
Published online: 24 April 2019
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.301.07woo
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.301.07woo
Abstract
Patient-centred care is considered a cornerstone of effective healthcare. It is an approach that acknowledges the patient as a person rather than a disease and that views the doctor-patient relationship as an alliance. This chapter examines the contributions of patients as co-participants in patient-centred care through a case study of a general practice in Australia: data are 15 audio-recorded doctor-patient consultations which were analysed for features of casual conversation, informed by a functional model of language. The findings suggest that patients actively engaged in contributing to the doctor-patient relationship through social talk, humour, laughter, and reciprocity. Implications are that the construct of ‘relationship-centred care’ may be a better way of envisaging how patients and doctors can collaborate for healthcare goals.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 1.1Patient-centred care in doctor-patient communication
- 1.2Mutuality: Relationship-centred medicine
- 1.3A communication framework for investigating patient engagement in relationship-centred care
- 2.Methodology and method
- 2.1A functional model of language
- 2.2Study setting
- 2.3Participant recruitment and data collection
- 2.4Data analysis
- 3.Results
- 3.1Evidence of patient engagement
- 3.2Realisation of interpersonal meanings
- 3.2.1Doctor-Patient reciprocated greetings, including inquiries about well-being, at the commencement of the interaction
- 3.2.2Social talk
- 3.2.3Attitudinal meanings
- 4.Discussion
- 4.1Conclusion and implications
Acknowledgments References Appendix
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