Oralizations in e-mail consultations: A study of general practitioners’ use of non-verbal cues in written doctor‐patient communication
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Nordtug, Maja [1] ; Møller, Jane Ege [1] ; Matthiesen, Signe Schlichting [1] ; Brøgger, Matilde Nisbeth [1]
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[1] Aarhus University
Aarhus University
Dinamarca
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- Localización: Catalan journal of communication & cultural studies, ISSN 1757-1898, Vol. 13, Nº. 2, 2021 (Ejemplar dedicado a: The Breakthrough of Digital Health), págs. 195-211
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
It is well-known that non-verbal cues are essential in doctor‐patient communication. As doctor‐patient communication is turning increasingly digital and written, it becomes relevant to explore the role of non-verbal cues in such communication genres. One more recent genre is the doctor‐patient e-mail consultation. Research has found that while patients like e-mail consultations, they also miss facial expressions, eye contact, etc. In this study, we explored the different ways in which Danish GPs use non-verbal cues in e-mail consultations. We analysed 633 e-mail consultations written by 22 GPs. We applied the concept of oralization, which includes the use of emoticons and non-standard use of grammar and spatial arrangement. We found that the dominant types of oralizations were non-corrected spelling errors and lack of attention to capitalization. Overall, GPs used a limited number of other non-verbal cues. We discuss how these findings relate to norms of formality and professional context.
