Communication in Outpatient Secondary Care: A State-of-the-Art Literature Review of Conversation-Analytic Research

Our review highlights state-of-the-art conversation analytic (CA) research within adult outpatient secondary care settings and how this research has been applied to clinical practice, provides reflections, and considers fruitful areas for future research. Findings from 128 articles were synthesized according to five clinical activities that have been the focus of CA research thus far: (1) information gathering and patients’ descriptions of their symptoms/condition; (2) information delivery, including test results and diagnosis; (3) decision making about goals, treatment, and future care; (4) interacting about sensitive issues, including patients’ emotions and psychosocial concerns; and (5) managing the interactional role of companions accompanying patients in adult outpatient secondary care appointments. Research in these settings has been used in healthcare policy/guidelines and designing training interventions for clinical practice. Within future CA research in outpatient secondary care, there is scope for more longitudinal studies and further exploring interactions in multidisciplinary care. Data examples are in multiple languages.