Importance of Using the Correct Medical Terminology
Discuss the importance of using the correct medical terminology when communicating with other healthcare professionals and patients.
You should discuss the importance of correct terminology, consider the impact of incorrect use of terminology, and the importance of being able to explain terminology to patients and clients who may not understand the terms used.
Sample Answer
Importance of Using the Correct Medical Terminology
Medical terminologies are universal to the medical and healthcare industry. They are used to describe components of the human body, illnesses, medical procedures, and processes and treatment plans. The paper seeks to provide a discussion of the importance of using correct medical terminology, the impact of incorrect use of terminology, and the importance of explaining terminologies to patients with limited understanding of the terms used.
Importance of Using Correct Medical Terminology
The use of correct medical terminologies enables healthcare professionals to accurately describe the condition of the patient and the treatment required. Without adequate training and knowledge, communication between healthcare professionals may be confusing. The professionals work in a fast-paced and high-stake field; hence they are required to utilize clear and concise communication. It is important that the professionals use accurate terminologies to promote the use of standardized communication to facilitate understanding of the patient’s medical condition to provide a more accurate diagnosis. Medical terminology used by clinicians plays an essential role in communication and decision making in matters related to diagnosis and treatment of illnesses (Nickel et al., 2016). The use of accurate terminologies promotes easy documentation of patient’s information and reduces medical errors that result from misinterpretation of medical data. Correct use of medical terminologies is considered a building block for patient safety, evidence-based practice and quality improvement (Fage‐Butler & Nisbeth Jensen, 2016). Accurate use of medical terminology enhances communication as healthcare professionals can understand and interpret shared medical information correctly. Effective communication is critical for the delivery of quality care due to accuracy in diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare professionals can collaborate effectively, resulting in more informed decisions. The use of accurate medical terminology enhances accuracy in billing codes resulting in timely payment.
Impact of Incorrect Use of Terminology
Inappropriate or incorrect use of terminologies is linked to various adverse outcomes. According to Fage‐Butler and Nisbeth Jensen (2016), incorrect use of medical terminology is associated with problems related to patient empowerment, autonomy, emotional ease, compliance to treatment plan and overall satisfaction. It is also linked to increased medical errors. Incorrect use of medical terminologies increases communication barriers resulting in strained working relationships between healthcare professionals. It also results in misinterpretation of medical data, which leads to inaccurate diagnosis and treatment. Patients are at increased risk of suffering from adverse impacts of wrong diagnosis or wrong medication. Wrong diagnosis and treatment can be harmful to the patient and may result in the patient’s death. The use of inaccurate medical terminologies also affects the relationship between patients and healthcare providers, increasing mistrust and reducing patient satisfaction.
Importance of Explaining Terminologies to Patients with Limited Understanding of the Terms Used
Healthcare professionals are usually discouraged from using medical terminologies and expert jargon while communicating with the patient. They are encouraged to translate medical jargon to ensure that patients and clients gain a full understanding of their diagnosis, progress in recovery and any issues related to their care, including their role in recovery and recovery of others for family members. Interpretation terminologies to patients provide a clear understanding of the provided information. Correct insight of medical information improves the patient-doctor relationship and is considered a stimulus to reducing mortality and morbidity rates (Derevianchenko et al., 2018). Evidence indicates that when a healthy individual become a patient, they become vulnerable to the words and terminologies used by the clinicians (Nickel et al., 2016). Using words that are difficult to understand in explaining the diagnoses of the patient generates fear and anxiety, causing the patient to behave difficulties in making an informed decision and participating actively in their care. Diseases labels by health professionals are linked to various physical, emotional and cognitive consequences. The use of medical terminologies also reduces the patient’s sense of self-control and influences the perceived severity of the condition and uptake of medication (Nickel et al., 2016).
