Abbreviations and Acronyms in Healthcare: When Shorter Isn't Sweeter
Abbreviations and Acronyms in Healthcare: When Shorter Isn't Sweeter
The use of abbreviations and acronyms in healthcare has become an international patient safety issue. Common problems include ambiguous, unfamiliar, and look-alike abbreviations and acronyms leading to misinterpretation and medical errors. The Joint Commission mandated the implementation of its "do not use" list in 2004 prohibiting the use of a minimum number of abbreviations. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has been a champion in the drive to warn both the healthcare community and the public. The problem continues as institutions attempt to comply and ensure patient safety by various strategies including education, enforcement, and leadership. The scope of the problem is far greater than the list provides for; the solutions have not been elucidated by the literature and implementation challenges have yet to be conquered. Recommendations for best practice and implementation are included.
This anecdote (See "Sidebar: Case") dramatically illustrates one form of the misuse of abbreviation in the healthcare community. This incident happened over 15 years ago. Our focus at the time was to correct the misinterpretation of CP for this child moving forward. The larger picture of the dangers of abbreviations and acronyms in healthcare eluded us then. In the decades that followed, organizations such as the Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP) (2005) and The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (formerly JCAHO) (2006) have consistently supported limiting the use of abbreviations and acronyms. The consciousness of the healthcare community has been raised, yet the threat to patient safety continues.
The use of abbreviations and acronyms in healthcare has become an international patient safety issue. Common problems include ambiguous, unfamiliar, and look-alike abbreviations and acronyms leading to misinterpretation and medical errors. The Joint Commission mandated the implementation of its "do not use" list in 2004 prohibiting the use of a minimum number of abbreviations. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has been a champion in the drive to warn both the healthcare community and the public. The problem continues as institutions attempt to comply and ensure patient safety by various strategies including education, enforcement, and leadership. The scope of the problem is far greater than the list provides for; the solutions have not been elucidated by the literature and implementation challenges have yet to be conquered. Recommendations for best practice and implementation are included.
This anecdote (See "Sidebar: Case") dramatically illustrates one form of the misuse of abbreviation in the healthcare community. This incident happened over 15 years ago. Our focus at the time was to correct the misinterpretation of CP for this child moving forward. The larger picture of the dangers of abbreviations and acronyms in healthcare eluded us then. In the decades that followed, organizations such as the Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP) (2005) and The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (formerly JCAHO) (2006) have consistently supported limiting the use of abbreviations and acronyms. The consciousness of the healthcare community has been raised, yet the threat to patient safety continues.