SLANG/MISPRONOUNCED TERM

CORRECT TERM/USAGE

alkphos (slang)

alkaline phosphatase

amalodipine (no such drug)

amlodipine

appy (slang)

appendectomy

bili (slang)

bilirubin

both (incorrect usage): Incorrect use when more than two terms in sentence, i.e. both medial, lateral and collateral ligaments

remove word "both" from sentence

Cardiazem (mispronounced, no such drug)

Cardizem

cc (for cubic centimeter)

AHDI/AAMT standard now is to change this to mL (for milliliter)

ciprofloxin (mispronounced, no such drug. They're mixing two together: Cipro [brand name] and Floxin [brand name])

Generic form should be ciprofloxacin

crepitance (mispronounced, no such term

correct forms are crepitant, crepitus, crepitation

crit (slang)

hematocrit

Depo (slang)

Could mean "Depot Lupron" (but see below,really should be "Lupron Depot" or they could mean Depo-Provera or others. You might need to ask for clarification if uncertain.

emigrate/emigrant and immigrate/immigrant(terms used interchangeably, when should not be)

You emigrate FROM somewhere, and you immigrate TO somewhere.  You are an emigrant FROM somewhere, and an immigrant TO somewhere

epi (slang)

epinephrine

erythemia (mispronounced, no such term)

erythema.   Erythema is redness of the skin produced by congestion of the capillaries. But make sure they are not saying"ERYTHREMIA" which means polycythemia vera, but this term should be very obviously different in its sentence usage and is very infrequently used.

erythemic (mispronounced, no such word)

erythematous

flex sig (slang)

flexible sigmoidoscopy

gastroc (slang)

gastrocnemius

gastrocsoleus (slang)

gastrocnemius-soleus (compound muscle)

hydrochlorthiazide (mispronounced by leaving out anextra "o"

hydrochlorothiazide

hypo, hyper + a suffix (misused)

Type as complete words. Example: Dictated: "hyper and hypotension" Transcribe: hypertension and hypotension

IVDA (hard to understand abbreviation)

stands for Intravenous Drug Abuse (will often hear in Social History or Habits section, i.e., "No IVDA."

IU and U (dangerous abbreviations)

type out as "International Units" and"units." Be sure and check on some medications that should be international units and the dictator may say units (examples are vitamin D,vitamin E)

kigs (slang)

kilograms

lac, lacs (slang)

laceration, lacerations

lapchole (sounds like "lap coalee") (slang)

laparoscopic cholecystectomy

levothyroid (mispronounced, no such medication)

It should either be levothyroxine (generic) or Levothroid (name brand)

medial and radian nerve (mispronounced)

median and radial nerve

migs (slang)

milligrams

mics (sounds like "mikes") (slang)

micrograms

pacer (slang)

pacemaker

pre-op'd (slang)

change to preoperative workup/exam or something similar to fit the sentence

qd (dangerous abbreviation)

type "daily"

qod (dangerous abbreviation)

type "every other day"

quads (slang)

quadriceps (tendon, muscle)

regime (a form of government)

regimen (as in drug...this one I hear mispronounced frequently)

regurg (slang)

regurgitation

t bili (slang)

T. bilirubin or total bilirubin

thyroidmegaly (mispronounced, no such term)

thyromegaly

tib-fib (slang)

tibia-fibula

tib-ant (slang)

tibialis anterior or anterior tibialis

T max (slang)

maximum temperature

U (dangerous abbreviation)

type "units"

UTOX ("U tox") (slang, unless an approved abbreviation by your client)

urine toxicology or urine toxicology screen

"verbizing" words (incorrectly turning nouns into verbs which are not correct terms)

Example: helicoptered (as in "The patient was helicoptered in." Change to something like "came by helicopter"