PhD defence: Anne Roelsgaard Obling

Management of Emotions in Accelerated Medical Relationships

In order to obtain the PhD degree Anne Roelsgaard Obling has submitted her PhD thesis.

Recent introduction of ‘cancer packages’ in the Danish health care system has led to a reorganisation of cancer diseases and their treatment into accelerated, streamlined patient pathways.

The thesis argues that the contemporary focus on efficient supply of health services is accompanied by attempts to improve the softer dimensions of these services, which influences how intimate transactions between doctors, patients and others are structured and directed.

Through a qualitative study of doctors’ practices at a general teaching hospital, the thesis demonstrates how emotions, for instance empathy, compassion, responsiveness, are made objectives to processes of cultivation and standardisation, and what this entails. 

Supervisors:

 Associate Professor Signe Vikkelsø

 Department of Organization

Senior Lecturer Monica Greco

Goldsmiths, University of London

Assessment Committee:

 Professor Martin Kornberger (Chair)

 Department of Organization

 Copenhagen Business School

Professor Carl May

 University of Southhampton

Senior Lecturer Ewa Wikström

University of Gothenburg

Everyone is welcome to attend the defence, which will take place in English.

The defence will be followed by a reception at the Department of Organization.

The thesis will be available from http://openarchive.cbs.dk approx. one week before the defence.