A Comparative Study on Identity Construction in Doctor-Patient Communication: From Reality to Virtuality

Medical practices in contemporary times demonstrate an asymmetrical relationship between patients and doctors, which lies at the heart of the medical enterprise and is consistent in the process of doctor-patient interaction, especially the face-to-face communication.In this asymmetrical relationship, both doctors and patients tend to construct different identities, which is pervasive in the face-to-face medical communication.However, with the popularity of online medical consultation, identities constructed in the traditional communication are undergoing changes.In view of this, the present research investigates the identities constructed in online medical consultation websites and attempts to find out the identity changes in comparison with traditional face-to-face communication.The analysis shows that there is a tendency for doctors and patients to construct different identities according to specific circumstances, either in reality or in virtuality.In the meantime, the asymmetry is still a central issue in medical practices, but it exists in a more dynamic way.The tentative conclusion in this study provides several suggestions and implications for effective doctor-patient communication.