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From a relationship to encounter: an examination of longitudinal and lateral dimensions in the doctor-patient relationship

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  • Potter, Sharyn J.
  • McKinlay, John B.

Abstract

Existing conceptualizations of the doctor-patient relationship provide little insight into this complex and perhaps now nonexistent "relationship" in the 21st century. Today, the word "relationship" as applied to the doctor-patient experience may be a misnomer--or at least an inappropriate description of the experience. One could ask, for example, if a person's most recent physician visit was more akin to their encounter with their last cab driver, or the person who sold them their last pair of shoes. After reviewing the 20th century theoretical conceptions of the doctor-patient relationship and describing the state of illness and health care delivery and policy in the United States, we develop a theoretical rubric for examining the 21st century physician-patient relationship. We argue that while patients should continue to be educated on how to use their time with physicians effectively and efficiently and physicians should continue to improve their communication with patients, we also argue that for policy purposes, it is not the physician or the patient that needs to change but rather the pressures and constraints of the organizational context within which the doctor-patient encounter takes place.

Suggested Citation

  • Potter, Sharyn J. & McKinlay, John B., 2005. "From a relationship to encounter: an examination of longitudinal and lateral dimensions in the doctor-patient relationship," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 465-479, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:61:y:2005:i:2:p:465-479
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Browne, Annette J., 2007. "Clinical encounters between nurses and First Nations women in a Western Canadian hospital," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(10), pages 2165-2176, May.
    2. Malambo, Nomthandazo, 2021. "“Not from home”: Cancer screening avoidance and the safety of distance in Eswatini," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Wibe, Torunn & Hellesø, Ragnhild & Slaughter, Laura & Ekstedt, Mirjam, 2011. "Lay people's experiences with reading their medical record," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(9), pages 1570-1573, May.
    4. Sarradon-Eck, Aline & Sakoyan, Juliette & Desclaux, Alice & Mancini, Julien & Genre, Dominique & Julian-Reynier, Claire, 2012. ""They should take time": Disclosure of clinical trial results as part of a social relationship," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(5), pages 873-882.
    5. Bromley, Elizabeth, 2012. "Building patient-centeredness: Hospital design as an interpretive act," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(6), pages 1057-1066.
    6. Gage, Elizabeth A., 2013. "Social networks of experientially similar others: Formation, activation, and consequences of network ties on the health care experience," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 43-51.
    7. Attanasio, Laura B. & Hardeman, Rachel R., 2019. "Declined care and discrimination during the childbirth hospitalization," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 270-277.
    8. Thomas, Elizabeth C. & Bass, Sarah Bauerle & Siminoff, Laura A., 2021. "Beyond rationality: Expanding the practice of shared decision making in modern medicine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    9. McKinlay, John & Marceau, Lisa, 2008. "When there is no doctor: Reasons for the disappearance of primary care physicians in the US during the early 21st century," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(10), pages 1481-1491, November.
    10. Racko, Girts, 2017. "Bureaucratization and medical professionals’ values: A cross-national analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 76-84.
    11. Fochsen, Grethe & Deshpande, Kirti & Ringsberg, Karin C. & Thorson, Anna, 2009. "Conflicting accountabilities: Doctor's dilemma in TB control in rural India," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(2), pages 160-167, February.
    12. Greenfield, Geva & Pliskin, Joseph S. & Feder-Bubis, Paula & Wientroub, Shlomo & Davidovitch, Nadav, 2012. "Patient–physician relationships in second opinion encounters – The physicians’ perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(7), pages 1202-1212.
    13. Stacey, Clare Louise & Henderson, Stuart & MacArthur, Kelly R. & Dohan, Daniel, 2009. "Demanding patient or demanding encounter?: A case study of a cancer clinic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 729-737, September.

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