Your questions about medical abbreviations

Wize Guy answers:

I think they are good if they are clear to read, and the correct abbreviation is used. To me it saves alot of space on the medical chart, lab reports, Rx’s, etc. If every diagnosis, lab report, directions, and prescription had to be completely written out, then it would take up a whole lot of space, and time to write out every little detail. The cons of medical abbreviations are plentiful. If they are written sloppy, an unapproved abbreviation is used, or an incorrect interpretation of the the abbreviation, then there will be alot of problems with the treatment a pt is supposed to receive, labs to be ran, prescriptions misfilled, etc. The biggest problem I’ve had as both a pharmacist and a physician, is someone writing an unapproved abbreviation in the patients chart. Abbreviations such as MS, can mean either morphine sulfate, or magnesium sulfate for drugs, and there is a huge difference in those 2 medications if there were a mix up, possibly causing some serious preventable adverse effects to the patient; MS could also mean Multiple Sclerosis as a diagnosis(dx). Every medical professional (physician, nurse, pharmacist, etc) has had education on correct abbreviations, and can read them, and write them very proficiently, very quick. There is always going to be misinterpretation, and mistakes always because of human error, regardless if abbreviations are used or not. These are just my points of view on medical abbreviations, and I think they are a good idea for most situations.

Wize Guy answers:

Here is by far the biggest collection of medical abbreviations:

Wize Guy answers:

You wouldn’t have to worry about mistaking a pertaining to for something else since there is so many of them. Some hospitols have different meanings for some of the same abbreviations

Wize Guy answers:

benefits: easier to write an abbrev than to spell out the disorder, some of which are verrrryy long. so they save time.

limitations: some are forbidden to use by jcaho. many abbreviations have multiple meanings. many specialties make up their own abbreviations and those who dont practice within that specialty have no idea what is being said = confusion and medical errors. most importantly, using abbreviations is dangerous (becuase it increases the risk of medical errors) and are being discouraged more and more these days….even though we all still use them

Wize Guy answers:

Most doctors use the words right and left, or abbreviate as Pangolin described. The only times I have seen latin abbreviations were in ophthalmology and otolaryngology notes and prescriptions–OD (oculus dexter, right eye), OS (oculus sinister, left eye, OU (oculus uterque, both eyes), and their ear counterparts AD, AS, and AU (auris dextra, auris sinistra, and auris utraque).