The understanding of medical abbreviations across different medical departments in a South African hospital setting

Authors

  • Alicia Sherriff University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Hamza Ally University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Wasim Mahomed University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Heather Rae University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Rory Schanknecht University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Seipati Sealanyane University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
  • Gina Joubert University of the Free State, Bloemfontein

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.30947

Keywords:

academic hospital setting, medical abbreviations, medical terminology, medical departments, understanding

Abstract

Doctors use medical abbreviations to communicate with colleagues from other medical departments. Medical abbreviations save time, but they can be misinterpreted and lead to treatment errors. This study evaluated the understanding of common medical abbreviations in the Departments of Oncology, Surgery, Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Internal Medicine at an academic hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 2012. In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires consisting of 35 medical abbreviations were distributed to specialists, registrars, medical officers and interns. Doctors’ experiences of communication problems due to abbreviations were documented. The total mean score was 61.2%. Oncology abbreviations were least understood (29.1%), while Internal Medicine abbreviations were well known (74.4%). There were significant differences between doctors from different departments, with Oncology scoring the highest (71.6%) and Internal Medicine and Paediatric scoring the lowest (56.0% and 55.4%, respectively). Interns (63.2%) performed significantly better than specialists (57.2%). Non-standard abbreviations were poorly understood (40.2%) compared to standard abbreviations (70.8%). The findings suggest that the understanding of medical abbreviations across medical departments is below standard. Use of abbreviations in this multilingual environment may contribute to poor patient care. Medical terms should be written in full, the use of non-standard medical abbreviations discouraged, and abbreviations only used when they are widely understood and accepted as standard.

Author Biographies

  • Alicia Sherriff, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Alicia Sherriff received her MBChB from the University of Stellenbosch and her MMed from the University of the Free State. She is currently Acting HoD of the department of oncology at the University of the Free State, South Africa, and Director of the Mamma Multidisciplinary team and part of the Neuro-surgery Multidisciplinary team.
  • Hamza Ally, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Hamza Ally was a pre-clinical undergraduate medical student at the time of the study. he has since graduated and is doing his internship.
  • Wasim Mahomed, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Wasim Mahomed was a pre-clinical undergraduate medical student at the time of the study. He has since graduated and is doing his internship.
  • Heather Rae, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Heather Rae was a pre-clinical undergraduate medical student at the time of the study. She has since graduated and is doing her internship.
  • Rory Schanknecht, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Rory Schanknecht was a pre-clinical undergraduate medical student at the time of the study. He has since graduated and is doing his internship.
  • Seipati Sealanyane, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Seipati Sealanyane was a pre-clinical undergraduate medical student at the time of the study. She has since graduated and is doing her internship.
  • Gina Joubert, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
    Gina Joubert received her MSc in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Cape Town and she is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics, University of the Free State. Her research interests include research methodology, research promotion and research teaching. She is coeditor of Epidemiology: A Research Manual for South Africa (OUP, 2014).

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Published

2017-08-12

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Articles

License

copyright Equinox Publishing Ltd.

How to Cite

Sherriff, A., Ally, H., Mahomed, W., Rae, H., Schanknecht, R., Sealanyane, S., & Joubert, G. (2017). The understanding of medical abbreviations across different medical departments in a South African hospital setting. Communication and Medicine, 14(1), 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.30947

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