I remember one time at the free clinic where I volunteer, this elderly guy looked super confused when I asked if he’d considered “utilizing outpatient facilities.” Dude straight up asked me if that meant porta-potties. That’s when it hit me – medical jargon makes normal people feel stupid.
How I started fixing this mess
First thing Monday morning, I grabbed all our clinic brochures and appointment reminder scripts. Took my red marker and went hunting for fancy words like a bloodhound sniffing for truffles. Found “utilize” everywhere – changed that sucker to plain “use.” Spotted “hypertension” in three pamphlets – scribbled “high blood pressure” over it. Felt like playing word whack-a-mole.
The real test came at lunch
My coworker Janice was explaining diabetes stuff to a young mom. Heard her say “peripheral neuropathy” and watched the mom’s eyes glaze over like donuts. I butted in: “Yeah, that means sometimes your feet feel numb or tingly, like when your leg falls asleep.” Mom instantly nodded – lightbulb moment!
Made a quick cheat sheet that afternoon:
- “Cardiology department” → “Heart doctor’s office”
- “Ophthalmology services” → “Eye check-ups”
- “OTC pharmaceuticals” → “Drugstore medicines”
Thursday’s breakthrough
Our new signs arrived saying “Primary Care Entrance” instead of “Ambulatory Access Point.” Saw five people walk straight to the right door instead of wandering around confused. Even Jerry at reception noticed – old dude high-fived me when fewer people asked for directions.
What changed by Friday
Started hearing other staff copying me! Nurse Pete told a patient: “This ain’t complicated – we’re just draining fluid from your bum knee” instead of “performing arthrocentesis.” Felt weirdly proud like when your kid ties their shoes alone. Biggest win? Overheard an old farmer tell his buddy: “These folks talk like humans finally.”
Simple lesson learned: stop trying to sound smart, start helping people understand. Your fancy words ain’t impressing nobody – just scaring folks who already feel like crap.
