Judgmental Expressions
- Obese, overweight → BMI is above the ideal levels.
- Drinker → He drinks 3 – 5 bottles of beer everyday.
- Smoker → He smokes around 20 cigarettes per day.
- She is a patient of hypertension / He is suffering from diabetes → She has had hypertension / She is diabetic.
Connectors
- Do not start sentences with Also, But, And, Because. However, you can use them in the middle of the sentences.
- Replace But with However / Although.
- Avoid Besides, Moreover, Furthermore. Replace with “Additionally,” or “In addition to,”
- Forget So, Hence and Thus. You can use “Therefore” instead.
Passive Errors
- She was commenced on ibuprofen → ibuprofen was commenced.
- She was transfused 3 litres of red blood cells → 3 litres of red blood cells was transfused.
- She was prescribed ibuprofen → Ibuprofen was prescribed.
- He was administered antibiotics → Antibiotics was / were administered.
- He was prescribed antacids → Antacids were prescribed.
Apart from those listed above, avoid the following too:
- Casual or informal language: Avoid slang, colloquial expressions, or overly casual phrases such as “gonna,” “kinda,” or “you know.”
- Overly emotional language: Steer clear of words that may sound subjective or overly emotional, like “terrible,” “amazing,” or “heartbreaking.” Stick to objective and clinical terms.
- Vague terms: Words like “thing,” “stuff,” or “a lot” lack precision. Instead, provide specific details or measurements.
- Jargon: While medical terminology is necessary, ensure it is appropriate and understandable for the intended recipient. Avoid overly complex terms that could confuse.
- Contractions: In formal communication, avoid contractions like “don’t,” “won’t,” or “it’s.” Use their full forms instead (“do not,” “will not,” “it is”).
- Unnecessary repetition: Refrain from repeating the same information or phrases unless it’s essential for clarity.
- Personal opinions: Avoid phrases such as “I believe” or “I think,” as the letter should focus on facts and clinical observations.
- Ambiguous abbreviations: Unless the abbreviation is widely recognized (e.g., BMI, BP), write out the full term to avoid confusion.
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