September 2, 2010

Lost in Translation

Whether it is interpreting a physicians handwriting, transcribing the muffled rants of the dictating clinician or battling the auto-correct function of microsoft word…meaning can sometimes be lost in translation…

  1. The patient has no previous history of suicides
  2. Patient has left her white blood cells at another hospital.
  3. Patient’s medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.
  4. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.
  5. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
  6. On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it disappeared.
  7. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
  8. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
  9. Discharge status:- Alive, but without my permission.
  10. Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year old male, mentally alert, but forgetful.
  11. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.
  12. She is numb from her toes down.
  13. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.
  14. The skin was moist and dry.
  15. Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.
  16. Patient was alert and unresponsive.
  17. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
  18. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life until she got a divorce.
  19. I saw your patient today, who is still under our care for physical therapy.
  20. Both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accommodation.
  21. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.
  22. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.
  23. Skin: somewhat pale, but present.
  24. The pelvic exam will be done later on the floor.
  25. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.
  26. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities
  27. When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room.
  28. The patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of fuel and crashed.
  29. Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.
  30. She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.
  31. Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Smith, who felt we should sit on the abdomen and I agree.
  32. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stock broker instead.
  33. By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better.
Xray request AFTB

Never take an X-ray request literally...

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About Mike Cadogan
Emergency physician with a passion for medical informatics and medical education. I write medical textbooks and host educational material at Life in the Fast Lane, HealthEngine and Popfossa.com. I write more eclectically on the web as @sandnsurf

Comments

  1. The UCEM are working closely with the medical transcription service of Bhudan to ensure such errors will not… http://fb.me/CtIzXScs

  2. Paul Jones says:

    RT @sandnsurf: Lost in Translation http://bit.ly/9J7d6z

  3. Mike Cadogan says:

    @amateursuman Sure you have seen these but might add to your #autocorrectfail tweets http://bit.ly/9J7d6z

  4. Medical transcription lost in translation | Life in the Fast Lane (dailyLOL) http://ff.im/-ooTiL

  5. Rafael Pardo says:

    Buenísimo!!! :-) Medical transcription lost in translation | Life in the Fast Lane (dailyLOL) http://ff.im/-ooTiL (via @Berci)

  6. ehealthgr says:

    Σας θυμίζει κάτι? RT @Berci: Medical transcription lost in translation http://ff.im/-ooTiL #opnhealth

  7. blogaceutics says:

    LOL! RT @Berci: Medical transcription lost in translation | Life in the Fast Lane (dailyLOL) http://ff.im/-ooTiL

  8. Rafael Pardo says:

    De nuevo, "Lost in translation": The lab test indicated abnormal lover function. http://ow.ly/2hDCK :D

  9. I laughed. I cried. It became a part of me. RT @Berci Medical transcription, lost in translation http://ff.im/-ooTiL

  10. Marta F says:

    RT @Berci: Medical transcription lost in translation | Life in the Fast Lane (dailyLOL) http://ff.im/-ooTiL

  11. rlbates says:

    :) RT @Berci Medical transcription lost in translation | Life in the Fast Lane (dailyLOL) http://ff.im/-ooTiL

  12. Emily says:

    These seriously cracked me up: http://bit.ly/aMvMSJ Lost in Translation (or medical transcription gone awry).

  13. Lost in You says:

    'lost in translations' are my faves!!! Great compilation.

  14. Milano says:

    Hi Mike! THANK YOU! I didn't have that much to laugh about lately, but this has got me in tears …. (of laughter), good I'm at my home desk at the moment (which is in Milan, Italy, by the way) and not in a client's office, they'd probably never hire me again.

  15. @sandnsurf loved the Lost in Translation article..some of them had us in stiches! http://bit.ly/au7Zoj

  16. Body In Mind says:

    Priceless: Lost in Translation http://bit.ly/apbQs7 eg 'Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities'

  17. drmikki says:

    Great list, Mike…

    We were amused by a referral to fracture clinic today which referred to a “misplaced clavicle”…

  18. RT @bodyinmind Priceless: Lost in Translation http://bit.ly/apbQs7 eg 'Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities'

  19. James457 says:

    Nice one…lost in translation medical typos http://bit.ly/dbL6aq

  20. Storytellerdoc says:

    Hi Mike…this is a great post! Talk about a crack-up! I know, from first hand, that I never ever want to describe a weeping wound as “pus-sy) again…does NOT translate well. Thanks for the early am laughter today, bud.

    Jim

  21. sandnsurf says:

    No problems!
    The X-ray request is from one of work colleagues with worse handwriting than mine.
    Looking forward to your Grand Rounds submission for next week…

  22. Jason Pearce says:

    RT @bodyinmind: Lost in Translation http://bit.ly/apbQs7 'Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities' -my new editing test

  23. 'Two drops in R ear' leads to one of two things…

  24. Body In Mind says:

    @Jason_newgen are you really rolling Lost in translation out to your Editors? http://bit.ly/9aamTZ I want to be in your class!

  25. Vpromweb says:

    great compilation!!! Experiencing once that I can't read the prescribe medicine…what kind of writing it is?

    hahahaha!!!!

    great online stores with no prescription http://antiparasiticmedication.net

  26. Peter Durfee says:

    "The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stock broker instead." http://bit.ly/c3Tw3h (via @chuwyboy)

  27. Von says:

    RT @bodyinmind: Priceless: Lost in Translation http://bit.ly/apbQs7 eg 'Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities'

  28. Lisa Pike says:

    Mike:
    It's pretty mind-blowing when you see this stuff….hilariously entertaining! The more sobering thought is that much of this gets into actual charts and sent to colleague this way! I run a medical transcription business, the kind with actual human fingers on keyboards, and we correct this kind of stuff all day long! Are we really sure we want a computer or an ESL typing this stuff? Even the docs themselves type this stuff…they're so busy and often distracted. That's why we're here to watch their “thoracic spines.”

  29. Yes Jim – we've dealt with purulent suppuration before.
    http://lifeinthefastlane.com/2009/12/purulent-s...

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