Benefits of Taking an Online Medical Terminology Course

Posted on July 23, 2021

Awareness of medical terminology is vital to those working in the healthcare industry. When it comes to discussing symptoms, diagnosis, illnesses, or even billing and administration issues, understanding the language used by your co-workers makes a big difference. And learning medical terminology is easy with online courses like the one offered by Corexcel.

What Are The Benefits of an Online Medical Terminology Course?

Taking medical terminology online courses have a number of advantages, such as:

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Price

The cost of online courses is considerably less than taking an in-person class, where you’re paying extra for an instructor and facility rental. Taking courses online reduces the overhead expense for institutions without lowering the quality of the information. So, you can gain the knowledge you want without having to take on additional debt.

Flexible Learning

Most online courses allow you to pick your schedule and work at your own pace. Accessing the content for Corexcel’s medical terminology course can be done whenever you have free time. You’ll also be able to access it from any device, which means you can learn on the go. Online learning in this way means you don’t have to quit your job to further your studies.

Tailor Your Learning

Another benefit of taking online classes is that it allows you to design a learning path that is right for you. You can mix and match the subjects you want to learn more about and beef up the skills you need to improve.

The Time the Course Takes

Getting a certificate in medical terminology is faster with an online course. You can set your own pace and complete the course as quickly as you want, allowing you to easily meet deadlines set by your employer or school.

Career boost

Having a certificate in medical terminology can have a positive impact on your career. Whether you are looking for a promotion or a new job, completing the Corexcel medical terminology course will be an advantage on your resume.

Innovative Learning

With the breadth of technology available, online courses can be more innovative in their delivery of valuable information. The use of games, multimedia presentations, and interactive activities aid the learning process in a fun and engaging way that you won’t get in a classroom.

Personalized Learning

Everyone has their own unique way of learning. With online learning courses, you can personalize your experience to fit your preferred study method.

Accessible

For learners with special needs, online courses are a great way to gain new knowledge in a comfortable and familiar setting. These courses also offer the added benefit of learning at your own pace.

Why Corexcel?

The online medical terminology course puts you in charge of your studies. With Corexcel, you’ll earn a certificate of completion for 9.5 Continuing Education Units.

Using interactive exercises, multimedia animations, and audio playback, learning the fundamentals of medical terminology is easy and fun. Corexcel also has a variety of practice quizzes and case studies to reinforce the learning process. And our course includes access to the Medical Terminology for Health Professions ebook to provide a comprehensive understanding.
Whether you want to master medical terminology to further your career, improve your work performance, or enhance your knowledge, taking the Corexcel medical terminology online course is for you. Click here to register today.

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How Will Medical Terminology Enrich My Career?

Posted on July 22, 2021

Medical Terminology Careers In the slow return to normalcy after the pandemic, career change, and simply finding a job again, is on everyone’s mind. As employers are concerned about the shortage of skilled workers, people are looking for an industry they can lend their services to. Following a career path today can mean maneuvering many twists and turns, setbacks, side roads, and blind alleys. Where is the path to a new career that provides enrichment, stability and growth potential?

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The best way to increase your marketability is to broaden your skill set. Since continuing education is often required to maintain licenses and certifications, go ahead and boost your resume. The right training can mean more opportunities in your current field or serve as a stepping stone to a new career. Which industries offer the best chance for job stability and advancement? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, jobs using medical terminology range from medical assistants to dental hygienists, who earn a median pay of $77,090.

A basic requirement for entry into almost any healthcare-related career is a command of medical terminology. The ability to recognize, understand, spell, and pronounce basic medical terms is necessary to perform well in any medical setting. And learning how to identify medical abbreviations and decipher unfamiliar words using roots, suffixes, and prefixes is most easily learned in a medical terminology course online.

Below are some jobs that use medical terminology skills on a daily basis:

Medical Transcription – To understand and accurately transcribe dictated reports, medical transcriptionists must understand medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, pharmacology, and treatment assessments. They also must be able to translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms.

Medical Records and Health Information – In addition to general education, coursework requirements for medical records and health information technicians includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health information, health data standards, coding and abstraction of data, statistics, database management, quality improvement methods, and computer science.

Surgical Technology – Surgical technologists receive their training in formal programs offered by community and junior colleges, vocational schools, universities, hospitals, and the military. Programs last from nine to 24 months and lead to a certificate, diploma, or associate degree. Programs provide classroom education and supervised clinical experience. Students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, professional ethics, and medical terminology. Other topics covered include the care and safety of patients during surgery, sterile techniques, and surgical procedures. Students also learn to sterilize instruments; prevent and control infection; and handle special drugs, solutions, supplies, and equipment. Most employers prefer to hire certified technologists.

Occupational Therapy – The first year of study in an accredited occupational therapist assistant program typically involves an introduction to health care, basic medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. In the second year, courses are more rigorous and usually include occupational therapist courses in areas such as mental health, adult physical disabilities, gerontology, and pediatrics. Students also must complete 16 weeks of supervised fieldwork in a clinic or community setting.

Radiologic Technology – The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology accredits most formal training programs for the field. The programs provide both classroom and clinical instruction in anatomy and physiology, patient care procedures, radiation physics, radiation protection, principles of imaging, medical terminology, positioning of patients, medical ethics, radiobiology, and pathology..

Medical Assistant – Post-secondary medical assisting programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, post-secondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Programs usually last either one year and result in a certificate or diploma, or two years and result in an associate degree. Courses cover anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as typing, transcription, record-keeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students learn laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. They also study office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. There are various organizations that accredit medical assisting programs, and accredited programs often include an internship that provides practical experience in physicians’ offices, hospitals, or other health care facilities.

Emergency Medicine (EMT) – Emergency medicine is a fast-growing field with first responders such as EMTs, paramedics, and firefighters taking the lead. Most positions in this field require training and certification, though not necessarily a degree. Medical terminology and anatomy & physiology courses are often required as part of private certification programs or as prerequisites for state-licensed exams.

Dental Hygiene – Dental hygienists must be licensed in the state they work in. Standards will vary by state licensing board, but an accredited associate’s degree is usually the minimum education required. Medical terminology and anatomy & physiology are often part of the core curriculum for these degrees. With a median income above $70,000, dental hygiene is quickly becoming a sought after career.

In addition to these medical terminologist jobs, many other professionals can benefit from an understanding of medical terminology. Lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal professionals handling cases involving medical-related issues are better able to litigate these cases when they understand the terminology involved. Health insurance professionals, as well as those working in medical billing and coding positions also benefit from a working knowledge of medical terminology.

Many agencies require a certificate in medical terminology for pharmacy technicians. Professionals and technicians of biology, hospital administration and many others must properly utilize medical terminology skills to communicate with patients, staff, customers and colleagues. Therapists, technicians, counselors and home health care providers can improve patient safety and patient experience, while providing more efficient care and reducing oversights and liability issues with a clear understanding of medical terminology.

An online medical terminology course is a widely accessible means to broaden your skill set, boost your marketability, and increase opportunities for advancement in your current career while helping you map a route to exciting work in the healthcare industry. Doubling the value of your time and education leads to better employment that will enrich your life.

Medical Terminology Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on June 18, 2021

Medical terminology is used in various healthcare professions. To help guide you through what medical terminology really consists of, we decided to share some frequently asked questions.

What is Medical Terminology?

Medical terminology is the language and words used in the healthcare profession to communicate patient diagnosis, treatments, and diseases. Medical terms are composed of root words, suffixes, and prefixes.

Why is Medical Terminology Important in Healthcare?

Knowing medical terminology is essential for success in the healthcare industry, especially if you work with professionals such as doctors and nurses. Understanding medical terminology is key for those in clinical and non-clinical roles. It helps you to understand of what is being discussed and to read patient care charts. Medical terminology is also used in medical coding, billing and other administrative tasks.

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Which Medical Terminology Word Part Provides the General Meaning of the Word?

There are three basic parts of a word we focus on when teaching medical terminology: root word, suffix, and prefix. The root word provides the general meaning of the word. Many of these words were developed from Latin and Greek languages. Suffixes and prefixes are added to give the word more meaning.

What is a Word Root in Medical Terminology?

Word roots, or root words, in medical terminology are the base part of the word. Suffixes and prefixes are added to the root word to give it more meaning or modify its meaning. For example, you are probably familiar with the term tonsillitis, which is an inflammation of the tonsils. However, the root word tonsilla is a Latin word that refers to the tonsils.

What Does the Prefix Mean in Medical Terminology?

A prefix is added to the front of a root word to give it a more specific meaning. For example, the prefix ‘a’ usually negates the meaning of the root word. So, atypical means not typical. In medical terminology, a prefix usually refers to the location and intensity of a condition.

What is a Suffix in Medical Terminology?

A suffix is added to the end of a root word to modify the meaning. For example, the suffix -itis indicates inflammation. So, when placed with the prefix arthro- (joints), it becomes arthritis, an inflammation of the joints. In medical terminology, a suffix usually refers to a procedure, condition, or disease.

What is the Purpose of Combining Vowels?

Combining a vowel with a root word in medical terminology is a way to describe a specific condition or structure. Root words with vowels may also have prefixes or suffixes to clarify their meaning further.

Why is Proper Spelling of Medical Terminology in Health-Related Professions Important?

Correct spelling of medical terminology by healthcare professionals is critical to patient treatment and diagnosis. There are hundreds of medical words that professionals use to specify conditions, diseases, medications, and more. A spelling error of a term could have serious and long-lasting implications on patient care. For example, an incorrect spelling of a drug could result in the patient receiving an incorrect prescription for the wrong medication.

How Can I Get a Medical Terminology Certificate?

Anyone can learn medical terminology with a self-paced, online course like the one offered by Corexcel. At the end of the course, you can earn a certificate of completion to prove you’ve mastered medical terminology. With engaging and interactive exercises, you’ll learn word roots and how to use prefixes, suffixes, and combining vowels to construct more complex medical terms.

Looking for frequently asked questions related to Corexcel’s Medical Terminology Course? Visit the Course FAQs page.

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Tips for Creating Your Own Medical Terminology Flashcards

Posted on May 28, 2021

Medical terminology is a valuable tool for those in the healthcare industry. It promotes communication about parts, functions, and conditions of patients’ bodies Medical Terminology Flash Cards . Understanding the language that most nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals use helps clinical and non-clinical employees with documentation, billing, reporting, and daily communication. By no means do you have to be a medical professional to learn the terminology. Gaining an understanding of the terms can offer you more insight into your health and well-being.

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Learning new words can be a challenge. However, using flashcards is an excellent way to become a medical terminology master. Using flashcards to study medical terminology uses active recall, one of the most effective ways to learn. Here are some other ways that you can boost your knowledge of medical terms using flashcards.

How Can I Make My Own Medical Terminology Flashcards?

Creating your own medical term flashcards is pretty simple. Here are some tips on how to make medical terminology flash cards to help you get the most out of this study tool!

Group Flash Cards Together

Making different groups for your medical terms can help speed along your studies. Divide your flashcards into prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. When you add words to your collection, you can divide them into their proper group. You may also want to divide the combining word cards into different body systems or chapters you are studying. This can improve your ability to memorize the terms. Another tip to consider is using different colors for terms that are related.

Avoid Too Much Information

Try to be as concise as possible when writing your flashcards. Too much information can overwhelm you and may hinder your ability to learn the terms. When you use too much detail on your flashcards, you’ll run into the problem of recognition rather than recall. Recognizing the answer is not the same as being able to recall the word’s meaning when you hear it.

Use Pictures

One great way to help you learn medical terminology faster with flashcards is to use pictures and words together. Our brains are designed to remember imagery or visual cues much quicker than words. Pairing words and pictures together makes a powerful study tool to learn medical terms. Rather than using images you think should go with the words, the pictures you use on the cards should make sense to your brain.

Say the Words

When studying medical terminology using flashcards, it is beneficial to say the word out loud as you read it. By speaking the word out loud, you’re reinforcing to your brain what the word means and how to say it.

Use Both Sides

When reviewing your knowledge with flashcards, use both sides of the cards. Testing your understanding using both the word and definition sides can build strong neural pathways that increase your mastery of the medical terms.

Developing an aptitude for medical terminology is essential for those in the medical field. The ability to communicate with co-workers and other professionals that you come into contact with on a daily basis will increase your efficiency and performance during work.

Where Can I Learn Medical Terminology Online?

After taking the Corexcel medical terminology course, you won’t need to refer to your textbook constantly, and you’ll no longer be confused or overwhelmed by all the medical jargon around you. Additionally, the Corexcel course allows you to move at your own pace. No more waiting for instructors to return your exams or listening to lectures that get off topic. Now you can streamline your study time and advance when you are ready.

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What Will I Learn in a Medical Terminology Course?

Posted on May 12, 2021

Medical terminology is the language that those in the healthcare industry use to discuss symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. If you work in healthcare, it is vital to your job performance to know medical terminology. Even if you don’t work in the healthcare industry, taking a medical terminology course can still be helpful, particularly if you want to understand your health symptoms and treatments better.

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Who Should Take an Online Medical Terminology Course?

Anyone can learn medical terminology. You don’t need to be a doctor or nurse. But, it is essential for those in the medical field to understand terminology whether you are in a clinical or non-clinical role. It helps to understand what is being written, billed, and discussed daily in your job.

Here are some occupations where medical terminology is vital:

General practitioner
Medical office assistant
Social care worker
Medical transcriptionist
Pharmacist
Medical coder
Insurance company employees

What Will You Learn in an Online Medical Terminology Course?

Medical terms are made up of a root word and prefixes and suffixes. In a medical terminology course, students will gain an understanding of how these root words and the prefixes and suffixes work together. Armed with this knowledge, you will be able to decipher unfamiliar terms.

You’ll cover terms related to major body systems such as the cardiovascular system or the nervous system. Students will also learn word-building principles. Once you’ve completed the medical terminology course, you’ll understand the rules for medical terms and how to abbreviate them correctly.

Where Can I Take a Medical Terminology Course Online?

Learning the foundation for the language used in the healthcare industry can be done through a self-paced, online course like the one offered by Corexcel. Students earn a certificate of completion when they have finished the course, equivalent to 9.5 Continuing Education Units (CEU).

Our course is made up of interactive exercises, multimedia animations, and audio playback so students can master the pronunciation and spelling of medical terms in an engaging and memorable way. To enhance your learning, we also offer a variety of games and practice quizzes that allow you to demonstrate your knowledge.

Our course includes access to the Medical Terminology for Health Professions e-book and case studies to give you a comprehensive understanding. With the Corexcel medical terminology course, you are in charge of your studies. There are no set login times or required live sessions. Students can work at their own pace and study on their own time, though most of our students are motivated and tend to complete the course in about 2-6 weeks.

If you’re thinking of taking a medical terminology course to advance your career or improve your understanding, you can start your studies with Corexcel today.

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Why is Learning Medical Terminology Important?

Posted on April 8, 2021

Prospective students sometimes ask why learning Medical Terminology is important. Depending on the type of career you choose to pursue, having the ability to recognize and decipher complex medical terms can be a game changer. We often think of the obvious examples such as doctors, nurses, physician assistants and medical billing specialists to name a few. However, you might be surprised to learn how many other careers require a working knowledge of medical terminology.

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Medical Terms Make it Easier to Communicate Across the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare is an $800 billion market growing at 7.3% annually. Healthcare and social assistance is the largest employment segment in the U.S. employing 20 million+ people. Medical Terminology is important to healthcare professionals who work directly with patients but there are also support positions that require knowledge of the subject.

For instance, let’s think about the average family practice with 4-5 doctors and 8-10 nurses. In addition to the professionals mentioned above, these practices would typically employ medical billing and coding specialists. The responsibility for generating billing documents falls upon these employees. An understanding of medical terms helps ensure billing codes are accurate which results in more timely payments for the practice. It also allows the practice to receive the maximum payment possible for a particular service. Since payment delays are often a result of improper codes, it’s important for these professionals to understand the terminology they work with on a regular basis.

Documentation Becomes Much More Simple

After the medical billing department sends bills out for payment, an employee from the health insurance company reviews the incoming bills for accuracy and entry into their accounting system. Without understanding medical terminology, it would be difficult for these professionals to perform their responsibilities effectively. This knowledge helps people in these industries work more efficiently and effectively. Medical Terminology is a common language used to communicate complex medical data between health professionals, patients and many others.

Medical Terminology Plays an Important Role in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Let’s take a look at another industry. After the last year, we’ve all heard or read about the COVID-19 clinical trials performed by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Before a drug, or vaccine is approved, it must be submitted to a rigorous clinical trial. The pharmaceutical industry regularly recruits patients into their studies. Employees tasked with qualifying patients for the trial, creating intake materials and developing trial notifications need to have a basic knowledge of medical terms to communicate the various aspects of the clinical trial.

In addition to the recruiting professionals, pharmaceutical companies also employ Clinical Data Analysts. These highly skilled professionals are responsible for verifying the data gathered during the trial period as well as reporting on the results of the clinical trials. They’re required to write reports that use terminology to communicate disease states, patient conditions, adverse events and more.

Knowing the Right Terms Keeps Everyone on the Same Page

Analysts use computer software to record and report clinical trial results which brings us to our next profession. It can be quite appealing for a programmer or front-end developer to have completed an accredited online medical terminology course. Knowledge of the subject helps employees communicate with each other effectively which helps to keep everyone focused on the same goals. Clinical Data Analysts will use the software developed by these programmers to submit reports to the FDA in the United States for drug approval and other milestones throughout the lifespan of the drug.

At the FDA you will find doctors, scientists and other health professionals who all need a working knowledge of medical terminology. Imagine how difficult it would be to read incoming reports without knowledge of medical terms. It would be virtually impossible, or at least extremely time consuming, to decipher reports and make informed decisions.

Once approval is granted a drug is ready for market. Most of the time that involves pharmaceutical sales representatives visiting doctors to promote the new drug. It’s imperative for sales representatives to be able to speak the doctor’s language. Without prior knowledge of medical terminology, the sales representative would not have the skills to discuss the target diseases that a drug is designed to address or the body systems it is intended to affect.

When a doctor prescribes a medication, they rely on a pharmacist to fill the prescription. From the pharmacist at your local Walgreens or CVS to the pharmacy assistants, it’s important that they all understand the patient’s medical conditions and the prescriptions they’re filling to recognize potential interactions before they occur.

Working in A Pharmacy

Occasionally the pharmacist will have to call the patient’s health insurance company to confirm information. They are expecting to reach an insurance professional who has knowledge of the drugs, diseases and side effects associated with the drug(s) being prescribed. All of these touch on medical terminology in some shape or form.

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While the pharmaceutical industry provides us with several solid examples of professions where medical terminology is used, it does not end there. Every day we receive course requests from paramedics, court reporters and even tattoo artists. If a career in healthcare is something that interests you, consider an online course covering medical terms to boost your resume or meet a prerequisite. If you have any questions about how taking an online course can help you, feel free to reach out to us.

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It’s a Good Time for a Fresh Start

Posted on January 25, 2021

The past year has been a lot—at home and on the job. With the pandemic causing substantial changes to the way we live and work, that might be an understatement. But along with change comes the possibility for something new. Maybe you lost your job. Or maybe all this time at home has you contemplating a new career. If you’re looking for a job-related fresh start, here are some of our recommendations:

a person holding a small alarm clock

Update your resume. Does your resume reflect your current position and responsibilities? Make sure it clearly highlights the experience your potential employers would find useful.

Update your references. Check with the people vouching for you that they’re still on board to field calls about you and your work.

Create or update your LinkedIn profile. A current LinkedIn profile is a must as you look for a new job. You can search for jobs on LinkedIn and apply for jobs on the site when it’s an option. If you’re being considered for a job that’s not on LinkedIn, recruiters will still look at your profile to get a feel for your experience. Tip: Your LinkedIn profile should be more conversational in style than a resume.

Brush up on your interview skills. Job interviews are stressful. Going in prepared alleviates some of the stress, so practice answering common interview questions.

Prepare your technology for interviews, too. Chances are, you might have a few virtual interviews. Check your connectivity and your lighting to make sure you’re seen, literally, in the best light.

Join/subscribe to career development podcasts and career-related social media groups. They can provide helpful advice and insight on various careers, and they offer support from fellow jobseekers.

Take a course. Getting an introduction to a field you’re interested in is valuable. It can confirm you’re getting on the right career path—or let you know you’re not. Having a course under your belt can also make you more marketable. If you’re interested in the medical field, for example, our Medical Terminology or Microbiology course is an excellent first step.

With these tips, you’re ready for a career-related fresh start. Good luck!

Email us at learn@corexcel.com to learn more.

Is It Time for a Microbiology Course…But You Don’t Have the Time?

Posted on September 21, 2020

When you work in the medical field, ongoing education is a must. It’s important to stay up on the latest developments, and sometimes it’s useful to take a refresher class just so your skillset doesn’t get rusty. Healthcare professionals, we know the pandemic has amped up what is required of you. That’s why we want to make it as easy as possible for you to take the classes you need. With that in mind, we’re pleased to introduce our newest online course: Microbiology!

Our Microbiology course is self-paced, so you can access the material and do the work when you have pockets of free time. The course provides the information you need to understand medical microbiology and how it relates to medical practice.

Students read and do interactive, online exercises to learn the science of microbiology, practical applications, infection prevention, and microbiological diseases of major body systems. The Microbiology class offers practice quizzes, exercises, and interactive components, which students can do as they like to reinforce the concepts.

Topics covered include:

digitalized calls in between hands

Background of Microbiology
Immunizations and Antimicrobials
Infection Prevention
Medical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology Specialties
Microbiological Diseases: Non-respiratory Infectious Diseases
Microbiology-Related Procedures
Protecting Patients and Ourselves
Respiratory-related Microbiological Diseases

The Microbiology training course is also useful to high school and college students taking high-level science classes. These days, high school and college are extra stressful, with students learning remotely, in-person with new procedures, or in a hybrid fashion. To alleviate some of the stress, students can take our course prior to taking their classes in school, where grades affect Advanced Placement credits and acceptance into undergraduate or graduate programs. They can access the Microbiology curriculum and become familiar with it at their own pace. When it’s time for students to take their for-credit courses, they’ll be familiar with the material!

No matter your reason for needing a Microbiology course, ours has several benefits. You can skip a pressurized, instructor-led pace and do the work when it fits into your own busy schedule. You have access to the course for a full year! In addition, when you successfully complete the class, you receive a certificate of completion for 3.8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

For more information about our Microbiology training class, or any of our courses or certificate programs, please call us at (302) 477-9730 or email learn@corexcel.com.

Choosing the Right Words in a Medical Emergency | Medical Terminology

Posted on July 24, 2019

Doctor visit a little patient at home

In emergency medical situations, quick, expert care delivered by knowledgeable professionals is critical—it saves lives. Perhaps less obviously, so do words. When a patient is triaged in an emergency setting, the patient and his or her family might not understand the medical terminology being used by medical professionals. Unfortunately, this can compromise care.

Communication between families and medical professionals can be especially difficult when English is not the family’s primary language. Family members might relay a patient’s status using words that are misinterpreted by the medical staff. In a case that drew media attention several years ago, relatives described a relative in a coma as “intoxicado.” The doctor incorrectly treated the patient for an overdose, with dire consequences.

However, even without a language barrier, patients, and family members unfamiliar with medical terminology can misinterpret a doctor’s message. For example, “unconscious” can mean one thing to a layperson and another thing to a doctor. Even “positive or negative” is often misunderstood.

How can the knowledge-of-medical-terminology gap be bridged?

Medical professionals—translate complex medical jargon into easy-to-understand words for your patients. Bring in a translator when needed. Ask patients and their families if they understand what you are saying. Ask again. Clarify until you’re comfortable that you’re all on the same page.

Patients and families—do not be shy in a medical setting. If you need a translator, request one. Be sure that doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians clearly understand what you are conveying. Repeat it until they do. If you don’t understand what a medical professional is saying, but you’re embarrassed to admit it, speak up anyway. Your life or the life of your loved one depends on it.

We offer a thorough, self-paced course, Online Medical Terminology.

Email us at learn@corexcel.com to learn more or register.

How Medical Terminology Can Prevent Miscommunication?

Posted on June 15, 2017

At times, the world of medicine can be affected by miscommunication, which in turn has proven to be detrimental to some patients and even fatal to others. This problem is propagated by way of poorly inscribed and mistakenly interpreted medical abbreviations that lead to misdiagnoses, inaccurate prescriptions and incorrect administration of medical dosages.

Because the expanding world of medicine has become very compartmentalized with new fields of study and specialization, many of the abbreviations and acronyms do not translate from one field to another, from one department to another and from one practitioner to another.

The Corexcel Online Medical Terminology Course is designed to update those currently active in a medical vocation and to prepare future medical professionals to use medical terminology correctly and to be aware of the top abbreviations that are misused — the exact acronyms and abbreviations that, when misused, result in negative outcomes.

The Usual Suspects

In 2004, The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety issued a “Do Not Use” list comprised of the most commonly miswritten and misinterpreted medical abbreviations. At the top of this docket sits the letter “U” which is commonly used to represent “units” yet is frequently mistaken for the number “0.”

An example: In the instance of a doctor prescribing “10U” meaning that the patient should take 10 units per medication interval, the typical misreading would be “100.” This would put the patient in danger of taking a dose that is tenfold the prescribed amount. In the instance of a highly toxic painkiller such as Vicodin or Oxycodone, the results could be lethal.

An Increase in Oversight

As benign as it may seem at face value, unreadable abbreviations and misused acronyms can result in unfortunate outcomes. According to The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, it is estimated that clerical medication errors account for some 7,000 deaths per year, 81% of the mistakes occurring during the prescribing stage of the medical process.

The source above also reports that doctors are responsible for 78.5% of medical terminology abbreviation errors, with nurses sharing 15.1% of the burden while a mere 6.4% of inaccuracies were penned by pharmaceutical or other staff.

Since doctors have been typecast as scrawlers of hieroglyphics, it may seem that only the most seasoned of nurses can translate. Although these miscommunications are often not the fault of the caregiver, there are cases wherein a fairly routine medical procedure became an emergency situation due to misread abbreviations or poor penmanship. Here are three such instances:

• A doctor prescribed a hydromorphone epidural for a patient, writing the script as “2 µg/mL.” It was then misunderstood by the pharmacist who labeled and prepared the patient’s prescription as “2 mg/mL.” The pattern continued with the attending nurse, who misread the label and subsequently administered a dose with a 1,000-fold variance.

The patient soon experienced difficulty breathing, was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation along with being given additional pharmacology and chest compressions to mitigate a diminishing cardiac function. The epidural was removed and naloxone was used to reverse the toxic effects.

• An acyclovir treatment was ordered for a 62-year-old patient on hemodialysis. The order read “acyclovir (unknown dose) with HD.” The practitioner who read the order interpreted the “HD” abbreviation as TID — meaning three times daily.

Acyclovir is given intravenously, and then only once daily after hemodialysis taking into consideration the patient’s renal impairment immediately after dialysis. In this case, the patient received three doses over a two-day stretch, resulting in mental deterioration and subsequent death.

• Mid-sternal chest pain in a 53-year-old patient was diagnosed as a gastrointestinal malady. As a result of this assessment, an “MDX/GI” cocktail was prescribed — which is a compound consisting of Xylocaine® (lidocaine), Mylanta® (aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and simethicone) and diclomine.

The patient developed labored breathing followed by respiratory distress, requiring an administration of epinephrine to reverse the symptoms. Although the patient’s allergy to lidocaine was documented, the attending physician and nursing staff were unaware that lidocaine is a key ingredient in the MDX/GI cocktail.

The danger of this abbreviation lies in its ambiguity. Although the “X” stands for lidocaine, it refers to the brand name of the drug (Xylocaine®) rather than the drug itself. Furthermore, the symbol “X” as an abbreviation has nearly a dozen different meanings in the medical vernacular.*

No matter the outcome, each medical terminology error case strongly supports the critical need for an ongoing education in medical terminology and a system that strives toward consistency in usage of medical abbreviations.

Not-so-straightforward solutions

Consider the remaining 6,997 cases involving similar situations that were propagated by abbreviations that were either misinterpreted or poorly written. The obvious solution would seem to be to discourage the use of the medical terms most frequently responsible for patient harm, yet doing so in a cohesive way across the breadth of all medical professions has proven to be very difficult.

Because not all practitioners have or are required to comply with a universal set of guidelines where medical abbreviations are concerned, the responsibility by default in affecting clear communication, then falls upon the shoulders of the individual medical practitioner.

Corexcel’s Online Medical Terminology Course empowers aspiring and practicing medical professionals to take control of their role in the chain of communication, be it as an attending physician, nurse, pharmacist or other vocation within the medical community.

Supporting Medical Professionals and Patient Safety

In the wake of rapid medical advancement, diversification of specialties and development of new fields of study, medical professionals can equip themselves with a comprehensive understanding of terminology, abbreviations and the most commonly miswritten and misinterpreted of both. By doing so, the results of poor communication can be diminished.

If you’re looking to strengthen and improve your communication in the medical field, contact Corexcel to learn more about our online medical terminology course. The more you learn about using and identifying the proper medical terms, the more effective and accurate you will be in preventing harm on future patients.

*Brunetti, Luigi, John P. Santell, and Rodney W. Hicks. “The Impact of Abbreviations on Patient Safey.” The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety 33.9 (2007): 576-80. Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Sept.-Oct. 2007. Web. May 2017.