An Evidence-Based Perspective on Greetings in Medical Encounters

Abstract

Background: Widely used models for teaching and assessing communication skills highlight the importance of greeting patients appropriately, but there is little evidence regarding what constitutes an appropriate greeting.Methods: To obtain data on patient expectations for greetings, we asked closed-ended questions about preferences for shaking hands, use of patient names, and use of physician names in a computer-assisted telephone survey of adults in the 48 contiguous United States. We also analyzed an existing sample of 123 videotaped new patient visits to characterize patterns of greeting behavior in everyday clinical practice.Results: Most (78.1%) of the 415 survey respondents reported that they want the physician to shake their hand, 50.4% want their first name to be used when physicians greet them, and 56.4% want physicians to introduce them-selves using their first and last names; these expectations vary somewhat with patient sex, age, and race. Videotapes revealed that physicians and patients shook hands in 82.9% of visits. In 50.4% of the initial encounters, physicians did not mention the patient's name at all. Physicians tended to use their first and last names when introducing themselves.Conclusions: Physicians should be encouraged to shake hands with patients but remain sensitive to nonverbal cues that might indicate whether patients are open to this behavior. Given the diversity of opinion regarding the use of names, coupled with national patient safety recommendations concerning patient identification, we suggest that physicians initially use patients' first and last names and introduce themselves using their own first and last names.

Patients’ perception on interpersonal skills of doctor-patient relationship in Fatmawati Public Teaching Hospital, Syarif Hidayatullah Hospital and Harapan Bunda Hospital Jakarta Indonesia

“…Iragiliati (2006) in her research stated that it was important to strategically being polite and pay attention to the patient's cultural values. The patients also wanted their doctors to introduce themselves, shake the patients' hand, and call their patients with their first name (Makaul, Zick, & Green, 2007). Based on patient's opinion, this skill has already sufficiently demonstrated by the doctors.…”

Something in Nothing: Negative Space in the Clinician-Patient Relationship

“…These spaces take 3 forms: informal space, fi xed space, and semifi xed feature space. Requirements of the clinician and patient for informal space defi ne 4 territorial zones of social interaction 2 : intimate distance, which includes the use of touch and characterizes physical examinations 3,4 ; personal distance, which is less close but allows a soft voice and private discussion; social distance, which suits nonpersonal exchanges in full voice; and public distance, which a clinician might use to call on patients in the waiting room.…”

Not just a greeting: Setting the scene for a consultation

“…1 Although much has been written about communication skills in the consulting room, not much has been written about how to greet the patient even before they enter that room. 2 Some doctors "call" the patient from the waiting room and the journey from the waiting room to the consulting room is when the patient may form an impression of the doctor. 3 If, in the course of this usually very short journey, the patient comes to believe that the doctor is not likely to respond well to the patient's needs, communication may already be hampered and the outcome may be poor.…”

“…2 Much of this research hints at the doctor becoming "present" or "mindful" when meeting the patient for the first time at that visit. More specifically, that the doctor becomes "present" at the start of the encounter.…”