Closing clinical consultations

Closing clinical consultations has not been the subject of much analytical attention, particulary in comparison to other phases of the medical consultation. While there has been less research in this area, much of which that has been done uses the sociological methodology of Conversation Analysis, ensuring a detailed, turn-by-turn understanding of how doctors and patients work together to close the consultation. This research has found that participants draw on interactional tools used in mundane conversation in order perform this specific task. In this chapter, empirical video recorded data of the closings of medical encounters are explored to demonstrate the unique ways in which knowledge and continuity of care are managed through the activity of closing consultations.