title: Demanding patient or demanding encounter?: A case study of a cancer clinic.
abstract: This paper explores the sociological relevance of demanding encounters between doctors and patients. Borrowing from Potter and McKinlay's [(2005). From a relationship to encounter: an examination of longitudinal and lateral dimensions in the doctor-patient relationship. Social Science & Medicine, 61, 465-479] reconceptualization of the doctor-patient relationship, we suggest an analytic shift away from 'demanding patients' toward 'demanding encounters'. Such a shift places provider-patient conflict within a broader socio-cultural context, emphasizing constraints facing both doctor and patient as they interact in a clinical setting. Specifically, through an ethnographic study of doctor-patient interactions at the oncology clinic of a US University Hospital, we examine the respective influences of new information technologies and patient consumerism in the production of demanding encounters in oncology. Findings suggest that these interconnected socio-cultural realities, in tandem with patient tendencies to challenge physician judgment or expertise, play a role in demanding encounters. We conclude by considering the implications of demanding encounters for doctors, patients and healthcare organizations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Kent State University, OH 44242-0001, United States. cstacey@kent.edu
authors.forename: Clare Louise
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stacey
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: MacArthur
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dohan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012962:Sociology, Medical; D014481:United States