Abbreviation use decreases effective clinical communication and can compromise patient safety

Abstract

Clear communication is paramount for achieving the safest and best patient outcomes, for maximising time efficiency, and lowering clinician workload. Multiple factors contribute to communication efficacy, including knowledge of topics between those communicating, interpersonal familiarity, and available time. Information exchange is growing faster and more frequent due to evolving communication technology, and communication is expanding as a response to increasing workloads. The number of referrals between specialties and the general practitioner (GP) is rising. The use of abbreviations has expanded in clinical communications and is likely to lead to misunderstanding, increased workload, and worse patient outcomes. In this article, we explore the use of abbreviations in the clinical setting.

Keywords: Abbreviations; Communication; Human factors; Patient safety.