Dr. Anne O’Byrne gave a rather interesting lecture regarding kinship and belonging. Essentially, humans are inherently drawn towards both understanding and discovering bonds of blood. Our society constantly seeks to answer the questions—where am I from, and who do I come from? These two questions are becoming deeply intertwined, as humans have a tendency to associate their identity with a location, rather than a human lineage. This shift has emerged due to both a decrease in the usage of oral histories and the increasing complexity of family trees.
In my opinion, the discussion of linguistics was the most interesting aspect of the lecture. The word genocide is derived from the Greek word génos, meaning kin, and cide, the act of killing. The concept of kin emphasizes belonging to a particular group, while simultaneously provoking separation within the world. Essentially, we cannot belong to all worlds and social groups.
After the discussion of belonging and kin, I thought that it was interesting to tie the topic back to health. Often times, physicians are encouraged to maintain appropriate boundaries with patients—this practice may diverge with the concept of kin relationships (Pilgrim 2001). Essentially, the patient may lack the proper medical knowledge to fully understand and navigate the healthcare system without proper assistance. Therefore, the patient may perceive a lack of belonging within the complex healthcare sector. Should it be up to the physician to build stronger relationships with patients to foster a sense of belonging within the healthcare system? Or should they strive to maintain the existing boundaries? In my opinion, I think it is important for the physician to emphasize with the patient—however, the development of a stronger patient-physician relationship may slightly impinge on the patient’s autonomy.
References:
Pilgrim, David, Floris Tomasini, and Ivaylo Vassilev. Examining Trust in Healthcare: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. Print.
Hi Marianna,
Thanks for posting a brief synopsis of Dr. O’Byrne’s lecture since I wasn’t able to make it last Friday. Tying kinship back to health is an interesting fusion of two independent areas of study. I liked that you brought up the patient-physician relationship and the idea of belonging within our existing healthcare system. Not only do I agree with you that maintain a strong relationship should be of high importance, but also studies show that strong patient-physician relationships correlate to patients taking an increased active role in their health.
Dr. Jeffrey Alexander at the University of Michigan found in a cross-sectional study of patients will chronic illness that higher perceived quality of interpersonal interaction with physicians, greater fairness in treatment, and more out-of-office contact with physicians were associated with higher levels of patient engagement. Another study done by Dr. John Schneider worked to fill in the lack of evidence that supports the widely recognized claim that strong physician-patient relationships are beneficial to adhering to therapy. The results showed that 6 of the 7 physician-patient relationship quality variables were significantly associated with adherence to physician prescribed therapy for HIV infection. Organizational or systematic factors often are what affects the physician-patient relationship the most. The accessibility of personnel and their level of courtesy makes a big difference in how respected patients feel, as do wait times and attention to comfort. The availability and professionalism of nurses and doctors reminds patients of their strong medical support system around them. User-friendly materials create an atmosphere of caring and concern. The bottom line is medical practices have the option to promote a patient-centered culture or one that is profit or physician-centered that creates more obstacles for individual relationships.
Sources:
Alexander, J. A., Hearld, L. R., Mittler, J. N. and Harvey, J. (2012), Patient–Physician Role Relationships and Patient Activation among Individuals with Chronic Illness. Health Serv Res, 47: 1201–1223. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01354.x
Schneider, J., Kaplan, S. H., Greenfield, S., Li, W. and Wilson, I. B. (2004), Better Physician-Patient Relationships Are Associated with Higher Reported Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Patients with HIV Infection. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19: 1096–1103. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30418.x
Hello Marianna,
Thanks for posting on this fascinating lecture topic. I, too, was not able to make it to the lecture and find this topic incredibly interesting and extremely applicable to the world of healthcare today. Whereas it is important to maintain a patient-physician relationship, as we have seen time and time again in readings and class discussions, at some point it is beyond the doctor’s control as to what he or she can do to make a patient feel welcomed and a sense of belonging to the hospital environment. Healthcare is a scary, complicated world, with many dark corners and fear. Doctors can alleviate some of these notions, but it is also up to other hospital workers and the environment to do so. The importance of maintaining relationships while in a hospital is essential to recovery. In The New York Times’s “Bringing Home to the Hospital,” a girl who has been in the hospital for an extended length of time, does everything she can to maintain a sense of home and her relationships with friends and family during her hospital stays. So, yes, a doctor does have a duty to develop a bond and maintain a sense of trust, but it is up to the rest of the hospital and the patient to find a place for the patient in the healthcare system and do everything possible to work for a successful hospital visit.
Thanks
Elisabeth Crusey
Brown, Theresa, RN. “Bringing Home to the Hospital.” Well. The New York Times, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2017.