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Health care professionals regularly use jargon when communicating with patients, despite acknowledging that it should be avoided. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Though this medical language may facilitate communication between health care professionals, its use with patients can introduce confusion that may have serious consequences. 8,9,10,11 The mismatch ...

2. Use patient-friendly terminology. Using clear language and avoiding vague or overly technical jargon will help your patients digest complex medical information. A study published in Health Literacy Research and Practice found that sometimes patients neither understand medical terminology nor recognize the gaps in their comprehension. Just as ...

By explaining inflammation in relatable terms, patients can understand its role in their health and the significance of addressing underlying causes, such as poor diet or stress. Lastly, the term “preventive care” is crucial for promoting overall health. ... When healthcare providers take the time to explain medical terms in layman’s ...

Linguistics often distinguish among several major writing styles or genres: fiction and poetry, non-fiction and journalism, science and technical style, and academic style.Medical writing may be presented in any of these styles; however, the most common ones are technical (pharmaceutical reports, data sheets, medical device manuals, etc.), academic (peer review studies, scientific articles ...

Instead, he/she should use simple terminologies/layman language that is well understood by the patient. For example, instead of using the term ‘myocardial infarction’ the clinician can use the word ‘heart attack’, similarly instead of ‘hyperlipidemia’, the term ‘high cholesterol’ can be used. A clinician can also use similes to ...

The Health Communication iOS App is a free tool that helps clinicians communicate more clearly with patients in medically complex situations. Use Simple Language; Choose words that are simple and familiar to make your message easier for people to understand. Limit jargon and avoid using acronyms. Be sure to define any medical or technical terms ...

3. Use Technology to Your Advantage. AI Symptom Checkers (like Buoy Health) can translate jargon. Medisafe App clarifies prescription abbreviations. The Power of Health Literacy: How Understanding Terms Improves Outcomes 1. Better Treatment Adherence. Patients who understand terms are 3x more likely to follow treatment plans. 2. Fewer Hospital ...

Efforts to define terms to advance understanding are incomplete without including the perspective of patients, but we cannot learn from their experiences if we do not know how to ask. 43 The terms described throughout this issue brief may have little to no meaning to patients. We have learned a lot from pioneering work on patient surveys and interviews. 44-47 Rather than speak of their ...

Use Layman's Terms: Whenever possible, use simple language. Instead of saying "hypertension," say "high blood pressure." 2. Explain Acronyms: Always explain what an acronym stands for before using it. For example, "CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation." 3. Visual Aids: Use diagrams, charts, and other visual aids to help explain complex ...

Term. Meaning. SOAP note. A structured way to document patient encounters. Chief complaint (CC) The main reason a patient seeks care. HPI (History of Present Illness) A detailed description of the patient’s symptoms. ROS (Review of Systems) A checklist of symptoms by body system. EMR (Electronic Medical Record) A digital version of a patient ...

The use of idiomatic terms, wherein the meaning of the phrase cannot be determined based on the words within it, are culture-specific and can be difficult to interpret for those whose primary language the idiom is not derived from. 37 While idioms may be seen as a way of making content relatable, their lack of plain language makes information ...

He has over a decade of clinical experience caring for patients and their families in hospital, clinic, and home based settings. Matthew is a passionate believer in the power of social media for public health education. His teaching focuses on palliative care facts (and myths) so that patients and families can advocate for the support they deserve.

All it takes is a quick glance at a medical bill or patient portal to spot the frequent and sometimes troubling gaps between clinical terminology and layman’s terms. Over the years, numerous studies have shown that for a variety of reasons medical jargon is often misunderstood by patients. Yet despite a general awareness that the words used ...

The way we use language impacts the way we perceive and interpret the world around us. Our ability to communicate medical information in layman’s terms determines the extent to which our patients understand their medical conditions. And the way we communicate information to each other impacts the way we view our patients.

It can affect health status, health outcomes, health care use, and health costs. 6 The entire health care system relies on the assumption that patients can understand complex written and spoken information. Patients are expected to navigate a complex medical system and then manage more and more of their often complex care at home.

One easy way physicians can more effectively communicate with patients is to de-jargon their language by using common words and phrases instead of complex medical terms and acronyms. Osteopathic medical schools across the country are recognizing this need by providing additional training in patient communication and interaction.

In school, we’re immersed in technical jargon – we present cases to supervising doctors using (or at least trying our best to use) terms right out of our textbooks. Unless you’ve got an optical engineer in your exam chair, reciting names of Zernike polynomials as possible explanations for a patient’s night-time blur is gonna get you ...

However, according to the study, this goes beyond just the terms that are obviously medical jargon. There are several words that have different connotations in layman’s terms compared to how the medical community uses them. One of the examples the article cites is the use of the word “positive.”

This is a huge obstacle to effective patient-physician communication. A study of Resident Physicians found that it is common to grossly overestimate one's use of layman's terms and teach back when working with patients. In observed patient interactions, Residents were found to overestimate their use of layman's terms and teach back by over 50% ...