本文主要探討另類醫療的社會定位及醫病關係，筆者透過「傳統跌打損傷館」就診行為觀察的初步分析，發現另類療法在台灣存在的社會空間及價值，當中包含另類療法的醫病關係，若以主流醫療醫病關係類型來對照，主要是以「共同參與模式」和「社交親密模式」為主，和正式醫療系統以「控制--順從」為主的醫病關係類型是有程度上的差異。此外，另類療法在台灣盛行的原因也顯現社會文化的多元效應、社會關係的支持功能，及求診民眾對於正式醫療的不信任及諸多期待未被滿足的事實。這除了提醒正式醫療體系應正視醫病關係的本質外，更重要是開啟瞭解另類療法的另一途徑，並探討其在整個社會架構中所顯現的社會意涵。

This article is mainly to discuss the social location and doctor-patient relationships of alternative medicine. By the primary analysis of observing medical examination behaviors in “the traditional treatment hall of fracture and injury”, the author discovers the social space and values of alternative medicine in Taiwan. Comparing in types of doctor-patient relationships of the mainstream medical service, there are in the degree of difference. Contrasting to “control and obedience model” of the formal medical service system, types of alternative medicine are mainly “participation model” and “social intimacy model”. In addition, the reasons of alternative medicine prevailing in Taiwan also appears diversifying effects of social culture, supportive functions of social relationship, and facts of the mistrust and so many unsatisfied anticipations of people who ask to exam to the formal medical service system. This reminding formal medical service system should face up to the essence of doctor-patient relationships. Besides, the most important of all is to open another way of understanding alternative medicine and to explore the social meanings of it in the entire framing structure of society.