Q&A: Is there an approved list of abbreviations for Ascension Wisconsin?

 

Question: Is there an approved list of abbreviations for charting at Ascension Wisconsin?

Answer: After checking with Medical Records, Informatics, Clinical Educators, Quality and others in-the-know, we determined that there is currently NO statewide list of approved abbreviations for Ascension Wisconsin for documenting care in the EHRs.   

But there is a team currently working on standardizing a policy statewide.

Some sites / regions may have their own approved abbreviations lists / policies (like the ones below), but there is nothing standardized statewide:

• Use of Abbreviations and Symbols (PolicyStat 10494144)  but it appears to be limited to The Fox Valley.
• Abbreviations Policy (PolicyStat 9522008) - Franklin - Elmbrook - St Joseph's Campus

For reference and patient safety, there are several DO NOT USE abbreviation lists:

• The Joint Commission's Official "DO NOT USE" List.
• The official DO NOT USE LIST from The Joint Commission (1-page pdf) (c2018)
• Facts about the Official "Do Not Use" List.
• TJC FAQ:  What are the key concepts organizations need to understand regarding the use of terminology, definitions, abbreviations, acronyms, symbols and dose designations?  (c2021)

• The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) also keeps a list of error-prone abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations.

For a complete listing of what's possible, see
Dorland's Dictionary of Medical Acronyms (c2016) via Clinical Key, through Ascension Wisconsin Library Services.  

Online Medical Dictionaries

by Amanda Hayes Merckx, 

UW Madison iSchool Practicum Student

Are you looking for a reliable, online medical dictionary? Ascension Wisconsin Libraries have several options available for you to use:

•  Dorland’s Dictionary of Medical Acronyms and Abbreviations 7^th Ed. ©2016 in StatRef
•  Dorland’s Dictionary of Medical Acronyms and Abbreviations 7^th Ed. ©2016 in Clinical Key
• Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 23^rd Ed. ©2017 in R2 Library
• Stedman’s Medical Dictionary ©2016  in StatRef 
• Click on the green Stedman’s logo on the StatRef homepage.

Looking for other eBooks? 

Here are some other resources for you to use courtesy of Library Services:

• Ascension Library Catalog
• eBooks at Ascension Wisconsin

Still have questions?

·         Contact your favorite Ascension Wisconsin Librarian: 

                    Michele Matucheski  or Kellee Selden 

     

       Check out our Library Services LibGuide for more information.