The Relationship Between Doctor and Patient in the USA - Essay Example

Sociology: Doctor/Patient Relationship Contemporary environment is full of dynamisms and turbulences especially regarding relationships. Different relationships in the current environment are experiencing significant and drastic changes. Many developments especially technology have been the basis of changes within such relationship. Technological developments, which have been the main feature of contemporary environment, have had several impacts on relationship. Notably, technological developments have led to introduction of the internet, which has been instrumental in determining directions of relationships (Brym & Lie 9). One of the relationships significantly affected by technological developments and contemporary dynamisms and turbulences is the doctor-patient relationship. Through the internet resulting from technological developments, patients acquire a lot of information regarding various ailments. With the advent of the informed patient through the internet, patients come to the office with much more information and questions than in the past (Brym & Lie 13). With reference to US, doctor-patient relationships have significantly changed in terms of functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist theories. Such relationships have shown deviance and stratification amongst communities and nations. According to functionalist theory concerning nature of mental states, the internet has influenced t a great concern mental states of patients. Functionalism theory states that identification of mental states is based on what individuals do rather than what they are made of. The internet has changed how patients react towards doctors. Patients’ states of mind have been corrupted through information obtained through the internet. The internet provides so much information concerning health and other diseases. Patients in contemporary world have information regarding their sicknesses at their fingertip (Brym & Lie 27). Consequently, doctors find it difficult to examine and diagnose various ailments patients are suffering from. Prescribing of medicines is today a problem for many doctors. With changed state of mind through the internet, patients identify their ailments from experienced symptoms and the likely drugs that are applicable hence approach doctors with specific expectations. Such behaviors significantly affect doctor-patient relationships where doctors are forced to prescribe as proposed by their patients. After all, doctor-patient relationships are contracts based on faith and that each party should be able to abide by the contract requirements. Since the basic and classical idea that mental states are internal states of various thinking creatures, functionalism theory proposes that patients use their minds to think and reason. Consequently, once information from the internet has corrupted such minds it becomes very hard for such patients to change their beliefs especially regarding their ailments, diagnosis, and their prescriptions as well (Ferrante 28). After obtaining information regarding some of the ailments having the same symptoms as the ones they are experiencing, it becomes difficult for doctors within US to change their patients’ thinking organ, the mind that has already been corrupted by information from the internet. This worsens the relationship between the doctor and patient. However much a doctor tries to convince the patient otherwise, the latter becomes defiant thus develop a feeling that his or her doctor is not being sincere or lack the idea hence not in a position to treat him or her (Ferrante 31). Therefore, with the introduction and development of the internet, relationship between doctors and patients are significantly going sour due to immense corruption of the state of mind by information obtained through the technological device, which has become part of contemporary lives. The other theory applicable in establishing deviance and stratification amongst doctors and patients in their relationships is the conflict theory. According to conflict theorists, social change and stratification of society results from struggling experienced amongst different groups. Struggling between such groups has the potential of leading to new developments as well as extended stratifications within community in question (Ferrante 30). Doctor-patient relationship in the US and other parts of the world is purely based on the idea of doctors trying to help their patients with better health. Nevertheless, introduction of the internet has led to defiant patients who believe that they can identify their ailments as well as prescription for the same. Doctors in the US on the other hand keep on struggling to change their thinking in a bid to assist them identify their ailments and prescribe the right medicine for them (Ferrante 33). Such struggle within the United States of America keeps patients away hence interfering with doctor-patient relationship since more stratification is experienced. Defiant patients continue to push their doctors into prescribing medicines that they believe that can treat their ailments. Since doctors are trained personnel, it becomes hard for them to follow their patient’s requirements. Within United States of America, doctor-patient relationship is very sensitive requiring doctors to deliver their best (Charon 198). Any error from the doctor’s side is considered negligence within the United States law and is prosecutable. Consequently, doctors are required to be very keen in listening to the patients who apparently known more than is expected resulting from information obtained through the internet. Since doctors are held liable for any problems that accrue to patients, they take great care in most cases dismiss their patients and their claims (Charon 201). Therefore, a sour relationship develops between doctors and patients in the United States of America concerning ailment diagnosis and treatment. United States of American has had numerous cases dealing with negligence believed to be coming from the side of “doctors” when in real sense it could have been caused by too much information that patients have obtained from the internet regarding their diseases and conditions. Lastly, doctor-patient relationship within US is explainable through symbolic interaction theory. Based on symbolic interaction theory, relationship of individuals is highly influenced by the string conviction that society is a function of interaction and communication between various involved persons (Denzin, Salvo & Washington 51). This theory places emphasis on the use of words, gestures, rules, as well as roles within the relationship in question. For instance, in our scenario doctors have rules and roles that they need to follow and adhere to while patients talk to their doctors regarding their conditions. Such expressions may be based on words or gestures that express what they are feeling (Denzin, Salvo & Washington 53). Many doctors place emphasis on gestures used by patients showing how painful they are feeling. In this regards, doctor-patient relationship fades away as neither of the two will develop trust on the other. From the ongoing discussion, it is therefore undisputable that different relationships with reference to doctor-patient experience a lot of defiance and stratification as explained by different theories. Functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionalism theories better explain how different relationships can get sour hence jeopardizing roles and functions of either of the parties involved. Indeed, from the perspective of doctor-patient relationship, contemporary developments and advancements have interfered to a great depth with socialization and relationships of various persons within communities. Consequently, there has been increased defiance as well as stratification amongst affected communities. Works Cited Brym, Robert., & Lie, John. Sociology: your compass for a new world, the brief edition. Belmont, CA: Cengage, 2010. Print. Charon, Joel. Symbolic Interactionism:An Introduction, an Interpretation, an Integration. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print. Denzin, Norman., Salvo, James, & Washington, Myra. Studies in Symbolic Interaction, Volume 32. Bingley, UK: Emarald Group Publishing Ltd, 2008. Print. Ferrante, Joan. Sociology: A Global Perspective. Mason, OH: Southern-Cengage, 2008. Print. Read More