What did the doctor say?

Have you ever left a medical appointment feeling more confused than when you walked in? You’re not alone. Medical language can be full of jargon, acronyms, and unfamiliar terms that make it hard to understand what’s really going on with your health.

At QMC, we believe that everyone deserves to understand their care. That’s why we’re focusing on health literacy—helping you feel confident, informed, and empowered in every appointment.

🩺 Why Medical Language Can Be Confusing

Doctors and nurses are trained to use precise language, but that doesn’t always translate well in everyday conversation. For example:

• “Negative result” actually means good news—you don’t have the condition.

• “Chronic” doesn’t mean severe—it just means long-term.

• “Inflammation” is your body’s way of protecting itself, not always something dangerous.

• “Unremarkable” on a scan or test result actually means normal—nothing concerning was found.

• “Referral” doesn’t mean something is necessarily wrong—it just means your doctor wants another health professional (like a specialist or physio) to take a closer look or offer extra support.

• "Occult” simply means that a problem was hidden, or not immediately apparent to health care providers.

💬 Tips to Help You Understand Your Care

Here are a few simple ways to make sure you leave your appointment with clarity:

• Ask for plain language: “Can you explain that in another way?” Any clinician will be highly appreciative if you tell them you don’t understand what they ‘ve just said. Their ultimate goal is to give you the best care and making sure you have the full understanding is essential for this to happen.

• Repeat back what you heard: This helps confirm you understood correctly.

• Bring a support person: A second set of ears can catch things you might miss.

• Take notes: It’s easy to forget details later. If you are registered on Manage My Health you can also read the clinician’s notes after the consultation (though this will have a lot of clinical shorthand).

👂 We’re Listening

We’re committed to making healthcare easier to understand. If you ever feel unsure about something we’ve said—please ask. There are no silly questions when it comes to your health.

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