Improving register
Avoiding Medical Jargon
It is important avoid using medical jargon in clinical communication, because its use will often create barriers to efficient communication. Jargon can cause misunderstandings, and can undermine the doctor-patient relationship.
The following video shows an example of jargon use in a consult.
After viewing, click here to expand/collapse a summary of the video.
In this scenario the patient became very distressed and upset. She was angry, and her anger affected the consultant in many ways. Some elements that the patient's anger impacted upon included rapport building (there was none); the establishment of trust in the relationship; and the patient's understanding of the issues, and her involvement in, the management of her problem.
The doctor used jargon from the very beginning of the consult: MBA 20, C reactive protein, LFTS, TFTs. The patient was confused; she didn’t know why she had undergone the test in the first place, or what it was for, and she certainly didn’t understand the results. She expressed her lack of understanding, but the doctor continued with even more jargon in an effort to provide information.
This scenario could have been avoided, and could have resulted in a better outcome, if the doctor had listened to the patient, addressed her concerns, and explained the results in language she could understand.
Below there is a list of common words/terms you might use in clinical communication settings. For each word we have an audio example of how it can be explained in everyday Australian English.
- Viral vs. bacterial infection
- STDs
- Prostate screening
- Dialysis
You may also find that some medical terms are referred to differently in Australia. Some useful resources that will assist you to find the right Australian medical terminology can be found here.