Understanding the reproduction of health care: towards geographies in health care work

Abstract

There has been only a partial geographical engagement with the production of conventional health care. Whilst medical geography maps aggregate supply and demand features, the geography of health focuses more on consumption and social and cultural contexts. More specifically, apart from a handful of published studies, both of these fields have overlooked how health care is continually reproduced in places by workers. In response to these shortfalls in the literature, we call for attention to geographies in health care work. In support, we describe the geographies that characterize the new health care and, using therapeutics as an example, outline how clinical concepts might provide secure foundations for research. A final discussion outlines the multiple people, places and relationships that could be investigated. Developing geographies in health care work would provide sensitive insights into the complexity, diversity and daily operation of health care.