Key Takeaways
- Explain medical conditions in plain English to help patients understand their diagnosis and take part in decisions about their care.
- Replace unfamiliar medical terms with clear, everyday language.
- Give information in small sections and pause regularly.
- Check understanding without making the patient feel tested.
- Clear explanations improve safety as well as patient confidence.
Introduction
Explaining a diagnosis clearly is one of the most important parts of clinical communication.
Healthcare professionals understand terms such as hypertension, inflammation and benign. For patients, however, these words may be unfamiliar or frightening. Even patients who speak English fluently may struggle to process medical terminology, particularly when they are anxious or unwell.
For International Medical Graduates, the challenge is often knowing which medical terms patients are likely to understand and how much detail to provide.
Using plain English does not mean making an explanation inaccurate or treating the patient as though they are unintelligent. It means presenting medical information in a way that is clear, respectful and useful.
1. Find Out What the Patient Already Knows
Before beginning a detailed explanation, ask what the patient already understands.
You could say:
- “What have you been told about the condition so far?”
- “What is your current understanding of the problem?”
- “Have you come across this condition before?”
- “Would it be helpful if I explained what we found?”
This prevents you from giving information the patient already knows or starting at a level that is too complicated.
It may also reveal misunderstandings that need to be corrected.
2. Begin with a Clear Headline
Start with the most important information before adding details.
For example:
“The test shows that you have high blood pressure. This means the pressure inside your blood vessels is higher than it should be.”
This gives the patient a clear starting point.
Avoid beginning with a long explanation of anatomy, test results and possible complications before naming the condition. The patient may become confused and miss the main message.
A useful structure is:
- Name the condition.
- Explain what it means.
- Describe how it may affect the patient.
- Discuss what can be done about it.
3. Replace Medical Jargon with Everyday Language
Medical terminology is useful when communicating with colleagues, but patients may not understand it.
For example:
- Instead of “hypertension,” say “high blood pressure.”
- Instead of “benign,” say “not cancerous.”
- Instead of “oedema,” say “swelling caused by a build-up of fluid.”
- Instead of “fracture,” you may initially say “a break in the bone.”
- Instead of “prognosis,” say “what we expect to happen in the future.”
Sometimes it is appropriate to introduce the medical term after giving the plain-English explanation:
“You have inflammation of the stomach lining. The medical term for this is gastritis.”
This helps the patient recognise the term if they see it in a letter, prescription or online resource later.
4. Break the Explanation into Small Sections
Patients may find it difficult to absorb a large amount of information at once, especially when they are worried.
Give one or two key points and then pause:
“The scan shows a small stone in your kidney. This is likely to be causing the pain.”
Pause to allow the patient to respond before continuing:
“The good news is that stones of this size often pass naturally. We’ll give you treatment for the pain and explain what to look out for at home.”
This approach is sometimes described as chunking and checking: provide a small “chunk” of information, then check that the patient is following before moving on.
Useful checking phrases include:
- “Does that make sense so far?”
- “Would you like me to explain any part of that again?”
- “What questions do you have at this stage?”
5. Use Examples and Comparisons Carefully
A familiar comparison can make an unfamiliar medical idea easier to understand.
For example, narrowed arteries might be described as:
“The blood vessels have become narrower, so it is more difficult for blood to flow through them.”
A joint affected by osteoarthritis might be explained as:
“The smooth surface that helps the joint move has gradually worn down.”
Comparisons should support the explanation rather than replace it. Avoid examples that are frightening, overly simplistic or medically misleading.
After using a comparison, return to the patient’s condition and explain what it means for them.
6. Explain What the Condition Means for the Patient
Patients often want to know more than the name of the diagnosis. They may be thinking:
- Is it serious?
- Can it be treated?
- Will it affect my work or family life?
- Will it get worse?
- What happens next?
Try to address these concerns directly.
For example:
“Asthma causes the airways in your lungs to become narrow and irritated from time to time. This can make you cough, wheeze or feel short of breath. It can usually be controlled with inhalers, and we’ll show you how to use them.”
This explanation tells the patient what the condition is, how it affects the body and what can be done.
Be honest when there is uncertainty:
“At this stage, we cannot be certain what is causing the symptoms. The next test should give us more information.”
Clear uncertainty is better than false reassurance.
7. Avoid Giving Too Much Information
Doctors may want to explain every possible cause, complication and treatment option. However, too much information can overwhelm the patient.
Focus first on what the patient needs to know now:
- What the condition is
- What the main symptoms or effects are
- What the next step will be
- What the patient needs to do
- When they should seek further help
You can then offer more detail:
“Would you like me to explain more about how the condition develops?”
This allows the patient to guide the depth of the conversation.
Written information can also help, but it should support the spoken explanation rather than replace it.
8. Check Understanding Properly
Asking “Do you understand?” often produces a quick “yes,” even when the patient remains unsure.
A more reliable approach is to ask the patient to explain the main points in their own words:
- “Just so I know I’ve explained it clearly, could you tell me what you understand about the condition?”
- “Could you talk me through what you’ll do when you get home?”
- “What will you do if the symptoms become worse?”
Make it clear that you are checking your explanation, not testing the patient.
If the patient has misunderstood, explain it again using different words. Repeating exactly the same sentence may not solve the problem.
A Short Example
More technical explanation
“Your blood results indicate iron-deficiency anaemia. We’ll commence oral iron supplementation and repeat the full blood count.”
Plain-English explanation
“Your blood test shows that you have anaemia because your body does not have enough iron. This means you have fewer healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body, which may explain why you feel tired. We’ll start you on iron tablets and repeat the blood test to check that the treatment is working.”
The second explanation is longer, but it gives the patient a clearer understanding of the condition, the symptoms and the treatment plan.
Final Thoughts
The ability to explain medical conditions in plain English is an essential clinical skill.
A clear explanation should tell the patient what the condition is, how it may affect them and what will happen next. It should use familiar language, manageable amounts of information and regular checks of understanding.
The aim is not to remove every medical term. It is to make sure unfamiliar language does not prevent the patient from understanding their health or participating in their care.
For IMGs, this skill becomes more natural through practice. Choose a common condition and practise explaining it as though you were speaking to a patient with no medical background. Then ask yourself whether the explanation is clear, accurate and relevant.
Book a consultation to discuss your goals and see how I can help.