Home Health Conditions

Decode the Outrageous Hospital Lingo That Doctors and Nurses Use Behind Your Back

By Reader's Digest Editors, RD.comUpdated: Oct. 04, 2018

Thankfully, this lingo isn’t used regularly in health-care settings, but an unflattering comment may occasionally slip out during a particularly frustrating situation. Decipher some of the more shocking slang here.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say frequent flier

Illustration: Lauren McGill

Frequent flier

A repeat customer to the ER, often a patient with chronic medical problems who can’t afford to go anywhere else.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say weekend syndrome

Illustration: Lauren McGill

Weekend syndrome

When doctors covering for a colleague on the weekend won’t make important decisions, particularly end-of-life ones.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say code brown

Illustration: Lauren McGill

Code brown

A bed full of excrement. “Got a Code Brown in 214.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say crump

Illustration: Lauren McGill

Crump

To go downhill quickly or die. “The patient in 3 crumped last night.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say GOMER

Illustration: Lauren McGill

GOMER

Short for “Get Out of My Emergency Room” (a patient you dread).

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Find out what doctors mean when they say Acute lead poisoning

Illustration: Lauren McGill

Acute lead poisoning

Refers to a gunshot wound.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say PITA

Illustration: Lauren McGill

PITA

A “Pain In The A$$”.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say FLK

Illustration: Lauren McGill

FLK

A “Funny-Looking Kid.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say FABIANS

Illustration: Lauren McGill

FABIANS

“Felt Awful But I’m Alright Now Syndrome.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say PMS

Illustration: Lauren McGill

PMS

“Poor Miserable Soul.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say DINK

Illustration: Lauren McGill

DINK

Patient who “Did Not Keep Appointment.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say D&D

Illustration: Lauren McGill

D&D

“Divorced & Desperate”—a middle-age female who visits doctor weekly for male attention.

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Find out what doctors mean when they say HIBGIA

Illustration: Lauren McGill

HIBGIA

“Had It Before, Got It Again.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say HONDA

Illustration: Lauren McGill

HONDA

“Hypertensive Obese Noncompliant Diabetic Adult.”

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Find out what doctors mean when they say LOLINAD

Illustration: Lauren McGill

LOLINAD

“Little Old Lady In No Apparent Distress.”

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Originally Published: August 14, 2017

Originally Published in Reader's Digest