title: Should general practitioners call patients by their first names?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the acceptability to patients of the use of patients' first names by doctors and doctors' first names by patients in general practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  An administered questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  5 General practices in Lothian.
  
  
  METHODS
  475 Patients consulting 30 general practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Response by patients to questionnaire on attitude to use of first names.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the patients either liked (223) or did not mind (175) being called by their first names. Only 77 disliked it, most of whom were aged over 65. Most patients (324) did not, however, want to call the doctor by his or her first name.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioners should consider using patients' first names more often, particularly with younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Ashgrove Health Centre, Blackburn, West Lothian.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McKinstry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012923:Social Class