The formation of the idea of patient agency at the institute of medicine

Abstract

This article is devoted to the topic of patient agency. The aim of this work is to consider the process of formation of the idea of patient agency at the Institute of Medicine. The author of this article, starting the consideration with the concept of the «patient role», authored by the famous American sociologist T. Parsons, shows the trend observed since the second half of the 20th century to move away from the paternalistic model of the «doctor-patient» relationship that was dominant at that time. The article examines the works of such modern researchers as A. Bock. E. Deffos, P.S. Sorokin, A.V. Zykova et al. It is noted that interest in the issue of agency in general and in the agency of patients in particular has increased during the coronavirus pandemic. The emergence of patient agency in recent years has also been facilitated by digital technologies, which began to be used in medicine thanks to the so-called «digital revolution», which, according to researchers, the pandemic has only accelerated. For example, telemedicine and various websites where patients can find the necessary information have begun to actively develop. At the same time, the very concept of agency today does not have an established meaning in scientific circles; there are heated discussions around this concept; the topic of patient agency is promising for research and needs further study.