Research Interests

In my research, I am positioned at the intersection of the humanities and social sciences, employing mixed methods (qualitative, ethnographic approaches and quantitative survey methods) to study relationship-building interactions within the healthcare sector and how new technological developments in care provision shape the relational experiences of patients and health care professionals.

I have designed curricular activities embedded in the medical education at the University of Southern Denmark that focus on relationship-centred medicine and integrate my research into continued learning initiatives among health care professionals.

My current research areas are:

1. Conceptualization and operationalization of empathy in healthcare provision and health educational contexts. I have co-led (together with psychologist Christina Maar Andersen) a large project on the development of empathy in the medical education in Denmark.

2. Digital consultations in a primary care setting (e-consultations and video consultations). Currently, I lead an interdisciplinary national study on the diverse implications of implementation of video consultations in general practice, the vCare project. I am the main supervisor of two projects and co-supervising four projects that investigate diagnostic, organizational, ethical and relational implications of video consultations in general practices.

3. Human-centred AI, especially in relation to use of chatbots for health communication. Together with my colleague, Line Maria Simonsen, we look into potential future consequences of use of chatbots in health communication for language- and empathy practices. 

4. New ways of organizing healthcare in primary care. I am currently supervising a project by Rasmus Dahl-Larsen about group consultations in general practice, using participatory action research.

In my work, I draw on theories from phenomenology, post-phenomenology, health sociology and Science and Technology Studies.