Overcoming Jargon in Patient-Doctor Dialogue with AI Medical Note Translation

Many patients have experienced the confusion of trying to understand their doctor's medical notes. Terms like Myalgia, Epistaxis, or F/U can feel like a foreign language to those without medical training.

Some patients may reach out to family members who work in healthcare, hoping they can interpret the notes. For others, misunderstanding medical terminology can lead to added worry and unnecessary stress.

The 21st Century Cures Act mandates that healthcare providers share medical notes with patients, but the complexity of these notes can make them difficult for patients to understand.

In medical notes, a "nosebleed" is referred to as "epistaxis," a "stroke" is called a "cerebral infarction," and instead of saying "don't eat before surgery," doctors use the abbreviation "NPO." For those without medical knowledge, this jargon can lead to confusion, unnecessary stress, and negative health outcomes.

In this article we will discuss the faux-pas of physician jargon in patient-doctor interactions and the rising role of AI Medical transcription in healthcare and patient outcomes. 

The Jargon Problem and Its Solution: AI Medical Note Translator

As healthcare continues to face various challenges, patient adherence is more important than ever, but doctor-patient communication has become more difficult.Healthcare providers understand how essential it is to build relationships with patients for effective care, but today, things like masks, social distancing, small video screens, connectivity issues, and misinformation create added difficulties. While there may not be much that can be done about these obstacles, it is important for clinicians to minimize other factors that can hurt doctor-patient communication.

One common issue in patient interactions is the use of medical jargon. While no healthcare provider intends to confuse patients with complicated terms, a 2007 study found that 81% of doctor-patient interactions involved at least one term that was not explained. In most cases, clinicians, who are often under pressure and short on time, don’t realize when medical jargon slips into their conversations with patients. For example, while it’s important to explain what a hematoma is, what about the term “fracture”? A study of 249 emergency room patients found that 79% didn’t know that hemorrhage meant bleeding, and 78% didn’t know a fracture referred to a broken bone. Until recently, the only solution was encouraging doctors to be more mindful, but with advances in technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) may provide tools to help reduce the use of jargon and improve communication between healthcare providers and patients.

Pondering on Medical Jargons in Patient Communication While Fighting Physician Burnout  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be part of the solution. Today, physicians have tools that offer medical transcription services powered by AI, which can identify and understand medical jargon. These transcription services give us the freedom to focus on connecting with patients. After the conversation, a clinician can review the transcripts to make sure that when he/she used medical terms, this should be followed up with simple explanations. 

However, AI-driven transcription services offer even more potential—they can help enhance communication with patients in real time. These tools can already turn speech into text, but they can also analyze the transcripts to give doctors useful insights, such as our use of technical versus simple language or how well we mix complex terms with easier ones. At the end of a visit, clinicians could check these insights to make sure their communication was clear for the patient. If not, he/she can take extra time to ensure they fully understand.

The Use of NLP to Recognize Speech Patterns 

As Natural Language Processing (NLP) becomes better at recognizing speech patterns, it can also detect when a patient’s tone suggests they didn’t understand something. When paired with real-time transcription, these tools can alert us not only when confusion occurs but also highlight the terms that might have caused it. For instance, we could receive a live prompt to simplify a term like ‘fracture,’ ensuring the patient grasps what we’re saying.

With these tools, clinicians could get real-time feedback on how well our communication strategies are working. For example, when a practitioner asks patients to repeat what they’ve understood about the diagnosis or treatment plan, are they simply parroting words, or are they using their own accurate language to show they comprehend?

AI medical note translators and transcription services can help us focus more on the patient rather than on taking notes. This way, we won’t miss subtle signs of confusion, like a hesitant expression. These tools could improve both the quality and the efficiency of our care at a time when we need both more than ever.

AI Medical Transcription Services in Healthcare 

AI's impact on healthcare has moved from being a concept to a practical resource used in daily medical practice. One key application of AI is translating medical jargon into simple language that patients can easily grasp.

AI-based tools use natural language processing (NLP) to convert complex medical terms into simpler, clearer language. For example, when a doctor talks to a patient about their diagnosis, AI systems can generate real-time subtitles or transcripts using everyday language. This helps the patient fully understand the information, giving them the confidence to make better decisions about their health.

Improved Patient Outcomes with AI Transcription 

The impact of AI in translating medical terminology is significant. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that almost 90% of adults find it difficult to understand and apply personal and public health information when it contains complex or unfamiliar terms. With the help of AI translation tools, patients have expressed a clearer understanding of their medical conditions and treatment options, leading to improved adherence to treatment and greater overall satisfaction.

AI-Aided Translation and Provider-Patient Relationships

In addition to helping patients understand better, AI translation tools also strengthen the relationship between healthcare providers and patients. A recent study showed that 91% of those surveyed preferred doctors who communicated without using medical jargon. By removing these barriers, these tools foster trust and empathy. When patients feel heard and valued, they are more inclined to share openly with their healthcare providers, which can result in more precise diagnoses and customized treatment options

Conclusion 

The future of AI in healthcare communication is bright. As technology improves, these tools will become more advanced, offering even more precise and context-sensitive translations. The aim is to make sure that all patients can easily understand health information, no matter their level of medical knowledge.

By helping patients grasp their medical conditions and treatment choices, AI boosts patient involvement and leads to better health results. Looking ahead, the use of AI in healthcare communication has the potential to greatly improve the patient experience, making healthcare more reachable and efficient for all.