The long-term success of medical treatments depends not only on diagnosis and therapeutic decisions, but also to a large extent on whether patients are able to integrate the recommended measures into their daily lives. Particularly in the context of chronic diseases, non-adherence represents a major challenge for modern healthcare. Despite extensive medical information, the implementation of therapeutic recommendations often remains incomplete or unstable.

This book examines the role of physician communication in the development of adherence. At its core is the IGBK model (Content, Design, Meaning, Consequence), a structured approach to analyzing communicative processes in medical consultations. The model describes adherence not as an isolated decision, but as the outcome of a dialogic negotiation process between medical expertise and an individual's lived reality.

Combining perspectives from communication science, adherence research, and clinical practice, this book is intended for physicians who seek to improve patient adherence to treatment. It will also be of interest to individuals involved in medical education and training, as well as healthcare professionals concerned with the structural importance of communication in the treatment process.

1 Theoretical Foundations of Physician Communication

2 The IGBK Model
3 Communication in the Tensions of Everyday Clinical Practice
4 Communication Patterns in the Context of Adherence
5 The IGBK Model Across Typical Consultation Phases
6 The Physician's Attitude as a Communicative Factor
7 Communication in Education and Organizational Structures
8 Adherence as an Evidence-Based and Structured Process
9 Language as an Influential Factor
10 Sustainability of Communication Processes
11 Resistance and Ambivalence in the Adherence Process
12 Communication as a Therapeutic Intervention
13 Perspectives on Communicative Medicine
14 Communication Strategies in Chronic Care Settings
15 Chronic Illness and Identity
16 Implementing Communication Structures in Hospitals and Medical Practices
17 Communication Under Time and System Pressures
18 Digitalization and Structured Support Systems
19 Reflection and Transfer into Medical Practice
20 Limits of Communicative Influence
21 Communication as a Component of Professional Identity
22 Between Role and Person: Physician Self-Positioning in Chronic Care Settings
23 Advanced Theoretical Perspectives on the IGBK Model
24 Perspectives for Research, Education, and the Healthcare System
25 Authority and Dialogue in the Medical Context
26 Integration, Synthesis, and Outlook
27 Epilogue: Communication as an Ongoing Process.