The dispositions of things: the non‐human dimension of power and ethics in patient‐centred medicine

This article explores power relations between clinicians, patients and families as clinicians engage in patient‐centred ethical work. Specifically, we draw on actor‐network theory to interrogate the role of non‐human elements in distributing power relations in clinical settings, as clinicians attempt to manage the expectations of patients and families. Using the activities of a multidisciplinary team providing deep brain stimulation to children with severe movement disorders as an example, we illustrate how a patient‐centred tool is implicated in establishing relations that constitute four modes of power: ‘power over’, ‘power to’, “power storage” and “power/discretion”. We argue that understanding the role of non‐human elements in structuring power relations can guide and inform bioethical discussions on the suitability of patient‐centred approaches in clinical settings.