Acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

s are very commonly used in healthcare settings. They are formed from the lead letters of words relating to medications, organisations, procedures and diagnoses. They come from both English and

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

roots. Acronyms have been described as

jargon Jargon is the specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of activity. Jargon is normally employed in a particular communicative context and may not be well understood outside that context. The context is usually a partic ...

. and their use has been shown to impact the safety of patients in hospitals, owing to ambiguity and legibility.

Formulation

Acronyms in healthcare are formed from the lead letters of words relating to medications, organisations, procedures and diagnoses. They come from both English and

roots. The use of acronyms and abbreviations is expanding rapidly.

Criticism

Acronyms have been described as

. Studies have been conducted investigating the effect of acronyms on communication and in some studies even healthcare professionals are unclear as to the meaning of many acronyms. The use of acronyms to describe medical trials has been criticised as potentially leading to incorrect assumptions based on similar acronyms, difficulty accessing trial results when common words are used, and causing a cognitive bias when positive acronyms are used to portray trials (e.g. "HOPE" or "SMART"). Use of abbreviations, such as those relating to the route of administration or dose of a

medication A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and ...

can be confusing and is the most common source of medication errors. Use of some acronyms has been shown to impact upon the safety of patients in hospitals, and "do not use lists" have been published at national level in the US.

Examples

A number of sources provide lists of initialisms and acronyms commonly used in health care. The terms listed are used in the English language within the health care systems and by

healthcare professional A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician (s ...

s of various countries. Examples of terms include BP,

COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The main symptoms include shortness of breath and a cough, which may or may not produce ...

, TIMI score, and

SOAP Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are use ...

. There is no standardised list.

References

External links

Smart Define
- Healthcare Related Abbreviations {{Authority control Health care Heathcare

Formulation

Criticism

Examples

See also

References

External links