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Cultural Diversity and the Clinical Encounter: Intercultural Dialogue in Multi-Ethnic Patient Care

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Theological Analyses of the Clinical Encounter

Part of the book series: Theology and Medicine ((THAM,volume 3))

Abstract

Of all of the images in modern medical ethics, none has been as powerful or has stimulated as much creative analysis as that of the doctor and patient as strangers. Long-term relationships between doctors and patients are increasingly rare in American health care, and physicians’ ancient claim to benevolent paternalism was one of the first casualties of modern medical ethics. Contemporary models of the therapeutic relationship, most notably the covenant and the contract, start from the premise that the doctor cannot presume to share the patient’s beliefs or goals, and that both parties must come to know each other during their limited time together through meaningful communication and clinical negotiation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program on Humanities and Technology in Health Care, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA

    Elizabeth Heitman

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  1. Elizabeth Heitman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA

    Gerald P. McKenny

  2. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

    Jonathan R. Sande

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Heitman, E. (1994). Cultural Diversity and the Clinical Encounter: Intercultural Dialogue in Multi-Ethnic Patient Care. In: McKenny, G.P., Sande, J.R. (eds) Theological Analyses of the Clinical Encounter. Theology and Medicine, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8386-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8386-2_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4292-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-015-8386-2

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