Creating the Patient-Doctor-Family Relationship: Issues of Power and Gender

<p><strong>Objectives</strong>: To understand how patients, doctors, and families see, form, and commit to relationship and how power and gender influence their interpersonal processes and meanings.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> Grounded theory methodology was used. There were six family medicine physicians, ten patients, and ten family members who participated. Physicians, patients, and family members were matched.</p> <p><strong>Results</strong>: Four themes emerged: types of patient-doctor-family relationships (extended family and traditional), types of care (relationship-centered care (RCC), family-oriented care (FOC), whole-person care (WPC), and patient-centered care (PCC)), commitment and intimacy, and interpersonal processes (perception of relationship shape, bonding, confidence and trust, equality and partnership, mutuality, and shared story). Results showed that patient-doctor-family relationships that were viewed as extended family relationships were associated with RCC, FOC, and WPC, sustained commitment and genuine intimacy, and a circle relationship shape. Patient-doctor-family relationships that were viewed as traditional relationships were associated with PCC, limited commitment and pseudo intimacy, and a triangle relationship shape.</p> <p><strong>Discussion:</strong> Findings revealed the significance of the patient-doctor-family relationship in healthcare not previously identified. The themes of intimacy and commitment also have not been previously associated with the patient-doctor-family relationship and healthcare.</p> <p><strong>Practice Implications:</strong> Medical family therapists may find it beneficial to consider the level of intimacy and commitment in the patient-doctor-family relationship in order to better plan collaboration strategies.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Marital and Family Therapy

Year

2009

Author dc:creator

• Perez, Josephine M. M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Carmen Knudson-Martin
• Douglas Huenergardt
• Mary E. Moline
• Betty J. Winslow

• Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling
• Physician-Patient Relations; Professional-Family Relations; Professional Role; Patient Satisfaction; Gender Identity.

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/689

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1808