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What doctors should call their patients.

M Lavin1

  • 1University of Tennessee.

Journal of Medical Ethics
|September 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Physicians should maintain formal address with patients, using first names only if patients reciprocate. This ensures consistent and ethical communication, even if patients suggest informality.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Professional Communication

Background:

  • Physicians face moral dilemmas regarding patient address formality.
  • Current practices in physician-patient communication lack clear ethical guidelines on naming conventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish an ethical principle for physician-patient address formality.
  • To argue for reciprocal naming conventions in medical interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Ethical argumentation based on principles of respect and professional boundaries.
  • Analysis of the implications of differing formality levels in communication.

Main Results:

  • Physicians should not use a patient's first name unless the patient uses the physician's first name.
  • Consistent formality in address is ethically mandated, regardless of patient invitation to informality.

Conclusions:

  • Reciprocal formality in address is essential for ethical physician-patient communication.
  • Maintaining consistent professional boundaries through address is crucial for trust and respect.
Keywords:
Professional Patient Relationship

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