The Sociological Foundations of Caring Relationship: Some Annotations for Healthcare Professionalism

The categorical imperative of the service, which includes the commitment to maintain the highest possible level of competence and the fundamental orientation towards the community interest rather than towards the individual interest, the system of recognitions (economic and status) and the high degree of self-control of behavior through internalized ethical codes, distinguishes a profession from a generic occupation. Wanting to transpose the above connotations to the health professions, it must first of all be remembered that the acquisition of social importance of a value such as health goes hand in hand with the birth of a vehicle for this value, or of an organized category of professionals who claim jurisdiction. This paper proposes a brief reflection on the contribution of sociology discipline to consolidation of a renewed professional awareness increasingly oriented towards the development of a holistic approach to patient and, with this, to the inter-professional processes of sharing care.