Medical Advising

Abstract

Within the discipline of health communication, medical advising typically refers to the provision of a formal recommendation by a clinician to a patient or caregiver on what action to take in response to a health‐related concern. Medical advising is a common and consequential form of support and influence within medical interactions, and has been a central focus in the research agenda of health communication researchers since the discipline's start. Research on clinician–patient communication points to several psychological and behavioral factors that influence recipient perceptions of and responses to medical advice.