Open AccessMedical word use in clinical encounters
Author(s) -
KochWeser Susan,
DeJong William,
Rudd Rima E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
health expectations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.314
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1369-7625
pISSN - 1369-6513
DOI - 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00555.x
Subject(s) - terminology , medical terminology , variety (cybernetics) , repetition (rhetorical device) , medical literature , medical history , unified medical language system , psychology , medicine , family medicine , medical education , nursing , linguistics , computer science , natural language processing , pathology , artificial intelligence , philosophy
Objective Doctors often use medical language with their patients despite findings from a variety of studies that have shown that patients frequently misunderstand medical terminology. Little is known about the patterns of medical word use by doctors and patients during clinical encounters. Methods A content analysis of 16 verbatim transcripts of first clinical encounters between rheumatologists and newly referred patients was conducted to assess how doctors and patients introduced medical words. Medical words were identified via a computer program using a defined list. Results Doctors did not introduce or use more medical words than patients, but the types of words that doctors and patients introduced did differ. The majority of patient‐initiated medical words occurred during the history taking (94%). Doctors did not explain, or use as part of an explanation, the majority (79%) of the medical words they introduced, and patients seldom responded in a way that would indicate whether or not they had correctly interpreted those terms. There was relatively little repetition of medical words within or even across encounters. Conclusions This study provides insights into how the use of medical terminology could contribute to misunderstanding. Findings suggest that steps already promoted in the literature to improve doctor–patient communication may also ameliorate potential problems arising from the use of medical terminology.