In praise of the prescription
The symbolic and boundary object value of the traditional prescription in the electronic age
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3646697 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Richard Cooper (0000-0002-3037-7779, University of Sheffield, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2011 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 462-474 |
| Publication date | 2011-12-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Sociology Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1446-1242 • E-ISSN: 1839-3551 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.5172/hesr.2011.20.4.462 |
| OpenAlex | W2055017990 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 3 |
This paper explores the symbolic and boundary object value of the traditional paper prescription in the context of the planned move to the wider use of electronic prescribing in primary care in the UK and many other countries. It is argued that the traditional paper prescription possesses symbolic value and has been occasionally recognised but more often ignored in favour of the ultimate social object that is the medicine. This paper argues that considering the physical prescription as a boundary object within Star and Griesemer’s typology as a ‘standardised form’ recognises its significance for a range of actors, including not just doctors and patients, but also pharmacists and other stakeholders, in areas such as professional authority, the ceremony of the medical consultation, patient autonomy, surveillance, financial income, as well as medicine supply. The paper goes on to reflect on this boundary object interpretation in the context of the current move to the electronic transfer of prescriptions and it is argued that this may threaten the existing boundary object and its associated value. It also raises broader concerns as to what happens when boundary objects are modified or replaced
Autonomy · Boundary object · Medical prescription · Negotiation · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Clinical practice guidelines implementation · Computer Science · History · Law · Medical Research and Practices · Medicine · Nursing · Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes · Artificial Intelligence
| Citations per year | 0.43 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2019 - 2025 (7) |
| Highly cited | No |