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Making sure. A comparative micro-analysis of diagnostic instruments in medical practice
1TU Berlin, Insitute for Sociology, FR 2-5, Franklinstr. 28/29, 10587 Berlin, Germany. cornelius.schubert@tu-berlin.de.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|June 28, 2011
Summary
Diagnosis is viewed as continuous practical judgment in medicine, integrating tools and physician habits. This study examines how diagnostic technologies evolve and are used in practice, shaping medical care.
Area of Science:
- Medical sociology
- Philosophy of medicine
- Science and technology studies
Background:
- Diagnosis is often viewed as a discrete event.
- The role of diagnostic technologies in shaping medical practice is complex.
- Understanding the practical use of diagnostic tools is crucial for medical care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conceptualize diagnosis as an ongoing process of practical judgment.
- To analyze the use of diagnostic technologies through historical and ethnographic lenses.
- To explore the interplay between bodies, tools, and knowledge in medical diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of diagnostic technologies.
- Historical perspective on the stethoscope's innovation.
- Ethnographic accounts of contemporary anesthesia practices.
Main Results:
- Diagnostic instruments become embodied in physicians' perceptual habits.
- Diagnosing is an ongoing activity integrated into managing illness trajectories.
- Novel diagnostic instruments transform diagnostic practices over time.
Conclusions:
- Diagnosis is a dynamic, embodied practice shaped by technology and context.
- The practical use of diagnostic tools is central to medical care.
- Understanding the micro-analytical level of diagnosis offers insights into medical practice.
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