How patients and physicians address each other in the office

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Patient-Physician Communication
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Establishing rapport and comfort in patient-physician interactions is crucial for effective healthcare.
• The use of first names versus last names in addressing patients and physicians can impact the perceived relationship dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient preferences for being addressed by their physician (first vs. last name).
• To explore patient preferences for addressing their physician (first vs. last name).
• To compare stated preferences with actual communication practices in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 604 patients across three primary care offices.
• Inquiry into patient preferences for first or last name address from physicians.
• Inquiry into patient preferences for addressing physicians by first or last name.
• Observation of actual name usage in patient-physician interactions.

Main Results:

• 96% of patients preferred physicians use their first name; 87% experienced this.
• 40% of patients preferred to use their physician's first name, but only 14% actually did.
• A significant discrepancy exists between patient desire to use physician first names and actual practice.

Conclusions:

• Physicians can confidently use patients' first names, as it aligns with high patient preference.
• Patients may desire to use physicians' first names, but barriers or preferences prevent this.
• Recommends physicians clarify preferred forms of address with patients during initial visits to improve communication.