There are numerous empirically described problems of communication in healthcare. The doctor/patient relationship is fundamental to many such problems. The changing nature of healthcare and the doctor/patient relationship is explored in this thesis. An increasing evidence base demonstrates that patient outcomes in healthcarea re directly relatedt o clinical communication. However, more fundamental than patient outcomes is the very nature of personhood and the effects illness has on individual autonomy. A theory of human need provides the foundation for discussion. Autonomy in healthcare is discussed in these terms and is argued as a basic human need. Moreover, human communication is argued as a basic human need using the same theoretic approach. It therefore follows logically that health professionals have the same duties and responsibilities to meet basic human communication needs on the same terms as those for autonomy. The relationship between autonomy and communication is shown to be a reflexive one. A theory of democratic communication is drawn on to describe the type of communication that will meet autonomy and communication needs. This is set in the context of healthcare. Consent in healthcare is used to show how far we have come in meeting communication and autonomy needs. Given the arguments o far it is reasonable to expect medical education to respond to the changing and recognised needs of the users of healthcare. The role of effective communication in medical education programmes is explored. Finally, a strategic approach to organising and delivering a communication curriculum is proffered which tries to meet both the philosophically and democratically argued basic needs. The resulting communication curriculum combines theoretic foundations with a pragmatic approach to the problems of clinical practice. If the approaches in this thesis are followed then communication can no longer be perceived as something doctors do after they have completed other medical tasks. Effective doctors have to be effective communicators in order to meet patients' needs.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:411492 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Gill, Elaine Elizabeth |
| Publisher | Queen Mary, University of London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/28571 |
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