How Do Physicians Frame Medical Information in Talks With Their Patients? An Inductive Microanalysis

Bibliographic Data

ID4710841
AuthorsJulia Menichetti (0000-0002-9445-987X, Healthcare Services Research Unit (HØKH), Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskøg, Norway, corresponding author), Pål Gulbrandsen (0000-0001-7434-5392, Healthcare Services Research Unit (HØKH), Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskøg, Norway), Anne Marie Dalby Landmark (0000-0002-6451-2801, University of South-Eastern Norway), Anne Marie Landmark (Nordland Hospital Trust), Hanne C Lie (0000-0002-8370-5422, Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Lorenskøg, Norway), Jennifer Gerwing (0000-0001-6211-8723, Healthcare Services Research Unit (HØKH), Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskøg, Norway)
Year2024
Volume34
Issue1-2
Pages101-113
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10497323231205152
PMID37870935
OpenAlexW4387881040
LanguageEN
References cited45

During medical consultations, physicians need to share a substantial amount of information with their patients. How this information is framed can be crucial for patient understanding and outcomes, but little is known about the details of how physicians frame information in practice. Using an inductive microanalysis approach in the study of videotaped medical interactions, we aimed to identify the information frames (i.e., higher-level ways of organizing and structuring information to reach a particular purpose) and the information-framing devices (i.e., any dialogic mechanism used to present information in a particular way that shapes how the patient might perceive and interpret it) physicians use spontaneously and intuitively while sharing information with their patients. We identified 66 different information-framing devices acting within nine information frames conveying: (1) Do we agree that we share this knowledge?, (2) I don't like where I (or where you are) am going with this, (3) This may be tricky to understand, (4) You may need to think, (5) This is important, (6) This is not important, (7) This comes from me as a doctor, (8) This comes from me as a person, and (9) This is directed to you as a unique person. The kaleidoscope of information-framing devices described in this study reveals the near impossibility for neutrality and objectivity in the information-sharing practice of medical care. It also represents an inductively derived starting point for further research into aspects of physicians' information-sharing praxis

Epistemology · Family medicine · Information needs · Information sharing · Medical information · Neutrality · World Wide Web · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Computer Science · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare · Psychology

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