Some thoughts about the terms "centre" and "inside," in relation to the concept of person-centredness

In everyday practice, we do not pay much attention to the words we use. So we do not usually become aware of an ontological difference between the levels of so-called objects focused upon and person-centredness. To elucidate this fundamental difference, we contrast here person-centred medicine (PCM) and a corresponding use of a polycentric grid approach (PCG approach) with the conventional impersonal, objectifying approach. The latter is typically depicted in orthogonal grids, such as charts and lists. This conventional way may be called the Cartesian orthogonal grid approach, or simply Cartesian approach.

A conceptual framework corresponding to PCM is proposed. The PCG approach issues centricity in a formal way and provides a polycentric arrangement of interacting centres. The topic of polycentricity is discussed by the later Nobel Prize-winner Elinor Ostrom and her husband Victor, concerning management of common goods. The corresponding concept and use of a polycentric grid allow depicting uniqueness and relatedness of interacting centres better than the conventional Cartesian orthogonal grids. The PCG approach outlined here corresponds to the use of different graphic and cartographic procedures, such as the glyph plot. This unconventional form of representation is seen as beneficial in PCM. Practical exercises are developed to enhance awareness of centricity in everyday health care settings. The steps suggested are based on imagination of common tools, such as used in playing darts. Following the practical application, the theoretical background is outlined. It has been published in an extended form and hence can be discussed in a more focused way.

Use of the PCG approach enhances experience and enactment of personhood. It supports PCM in everyday practice. On a theoretical level, the PCG approach has ontological primacy compared with the conventional Cartesian approach. To refer to physical empiric, the decontextualized Cartesian concept needs to be embedded in the empiric polycentric one.