Toerien, M., Jackson, C. and Reuber, M. orcid.org/0000-0002-4104-6705 (2020) The normativity of medical tests : test ordering as a routine activity in “new problem” consultations in secondary care. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 53 (4). pp. 405-424. ISSN 0835-1813
Abstract
How does ordering a test fit into “new problem” medical consultations? Responding to calls for studies of the overall structural organization of consultations beyond primary care, this article depicts the organization of new problem consultations observed in two large neuroscience centers in the UK. This shows that—in addition to Robinson’s widely cited four main activities (establishing the reason for the visit, gathering information, delivering a diagnosis, recommending treatment)—test ordering is oriented to as an additional, normative activity. We show this numerically (tests were ordered in over 60% of our 65 new problem consultations) and by analyzing how participants orient to the activity of test ordering even when neurologists decide against testing. We argue that test ordering is a distinct activity, which, despite being treatment-oriented, displaces treatment in the here and now. Test ordering is thus consequential for progressivity, serving as both bridge and barrier to accomplishing the overarching medical project. Data are in British English.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Crown Copyright. Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and National Institute for Health Research. Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Sheffield Teaching Hospitals |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NIHR Evaluation Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre NIHRDH-HS&DR/14/19/43 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 16 Sep 2020 08:03 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jan 2022 11:08 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/08351813.2020.1785768 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:165109 |