The other day, I witnessed someone looking for a “thingamajig” in a hardware store. It was amusing as the individual was describing a screw with a flat top named after a city. Their partner had given them only a description of the elusive screw.
The employee, wearing his hardware apron, had to call another employee for help because he was also perplexed. Finally, another employee recognized that the individual was asking about a Chicago Screw.
This reminded me of a conversation I had with a new graduate nurse. I asked about the insertion date of the Foley catheter, to which she seemed puzzled. She didn’t understand the term I used, but when I rephrased it as “indwelling catheter,” she got it and provided the information I needed.
I shared with her that Dr. Fredreic Foley had invented the indwelling catheter in the 1930s, which she politely listened to, even though it was probably unnecessary information. Reflecting on this interaction, I couldn’t help but feel a bit old and realized the importance of using terminology that others can easily understand. I also wasn’t sure why I was giving her some trivia about urology. I wanted her to know the origin of the indwelling catheter.
How often do we use terms or words that carry meaning in our minds, but others might not have the same interpretation? Healthcare has been known to use jargon. Jargon is defined as special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.
In a recent Forbes article, some of the most confusing healthcare jargon was listed:
- Value-based care
- Population health
- Whole person healthcare
- Anything “centric”
- Provider
- Social determinants of health
The American Medical Association defines value-based care as STEEEP— Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable and Patient-centered care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services define value-based care as designing care that focuses on quality provider performance and the patient experience.
Value-based care, population health and other terms are meaningless to those we serve and partner with to support their health and wellness. It is our actions that provide meaning to the words.
Last month, a year-long study was launched to reduce urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a community-based setting. Population health refers to the health status and health outcomes within a group rather than considering one person’s health at a time. The study supports the definition of population health — health outcomes within a group. Participants in the study do not care about population health labels; they care about reducing painful infections that cause falls, cognitive decline and septicemia.
I ask myself every day: Do we in healthcare need a unique language? Are we hiding behind our words instead of letting our actions create the words everyone can genuinely value? What is your answer? I know mine.
Martie L. Moore, MAOM, RN, CPHQ, is the President/CEO of M2WL Consulting. She has been an executive healthcare leader for more than 20 years. She has served on advisory boards for the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, American Nurses Association, Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing and Sigma, International Honor Society for Nursing. She was honored by Saint Martin’s University with an honorary doctorate degree for her service and accomplishments in advancing healthcare. She recently published “The Leadership Sandwich,” now available on Amazon.
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