In an op-ed for the American Council on Science and Public Health, board-certified physician Jamie Wells, MD, notes “medical speak or language is distinct from everyday conversation.” Because of this, a physician’s word choices can be “routinely misinterpreted when viewed from that lens,” she says.
She points out Dr. Jackson, who also served as physician to the president during the Obama administration, used the same language to describe former President Obama’s health during his last routine physical while in office in 2016.
The type of language used by physicians and other individuals in the medical profession can become increasingly routine for the speaker, often leaving them unaware the nuances of their speech do not translate to someone not intimately familiar with the field, Dr. Wells writes.
“Doctors are so used to seeing such a spectrum of suffering that when a patient is otherwise well, they have an entirely different perspective on the subject,” she writes. “Since the aforementioned are usually described as being in ‘poor’ or ‘fair’ health, the majority at a routine physical who have minor, manageable chronic or no issues will be deemed in overall ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ health. When problems are well-controlled or stable, the patient can be in good or excellent condition.”
To read Dr. Wells’ full op-ed, click here.
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