Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research

Kerosuo, H. (2004)Transmission of information as translation in medical patient care. In E. Tarasti (ed.) From nature to psyche. Proceedings from the ISI summer congresses at Imatra in 2001-2002. Acta Semiotica Fennica XX, 85-98. Helsinki: Hakapaino

The study examines the cooperation of medical professionals through transmission of information required in the care of the patients with many symptoms or diseases of illness. The communication between professionals and patients is also included. The paper seeks answers to the following questions: What kind of translations concerning the patient’s symptoms and diseases of illness there appear in the transmission of knowledge between medical professionals, and between the patient and the professionals? How do these translations impact on the diagnosis and the care of the patient’s illness? The creation of a coherent view of the patient’s care seems important, but the translations observed in the analyses secured the cohesiveness of the care only process-wise, while the horizontal connections between separate lines of care remained disrupted. Therefore, the patient’s care provision became ”bounded” into separate ”tunnels” of care where the professionals carry out the provision without knowing about the examinations or care provided elsewhere. It is only the patient who has the picture of the whole provision.