Question regarding medical jargon

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I thought I knew what r/o (rule out) meant last semester but then I heard it being used a different way and now I'm confused. Can someone please clarify how it is used for me?

Thank you!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

could you be a bit more specific? How was it used?

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Last semester I heard it being used to mean that someone didn't have something: "r/o sepsis" would mean that they didn't have sepsis.

And the way I've been hearing it consistently now seems different. Does r/o mean that there is a possibility of the patient having sepsis (going off the above example) and you need to run tests to confirm that they have it (or don't)?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Last semester I heard it being used to mean that someone didn't have something: "r/o sepsis" would mean that they didn't have sepsis.

And the way I've been hearing it consistently now seems different. Does r/o mean that there is a possibility of the patient having sepsis (going off the above example) and you need to run tests to confirm that they have it (or don't)?

You have a pretty good idea of what this means in the second paragraph.

Rule out would mean that something is being considered as a possible diagnosis. Sepsis is suspected. Further diagnostic tests would need to be performed to "rule in" sepsis. So, a patient may have a preliminary diagnosis of "rule out sepsis" until it is either eliminated or confirmed.

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You have a pretty good idea of what this means in the second paragraph.

Rule out would mean that something is being considered as a possible diagnosis. Sepsis is suspected. Further diagnostic tests would need to be performed to "rule in" sepsis. So, a patient may have a preliminary diagnosis of "rule out sepsis" until it is either eliminated or confirmed.

Great answer, thank you very much!

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Specializes in LTC- as CNA, L&D, Current- Oncology.

This was helpful for me too! thanks Sir I :)

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Specializes in Flight/ICU/CCU/ED/Trauma.

It is also becoming more and more frowned upon. For the reason that it not only can sound confusing (as evidenced here), but there are not really diagnoses that can be charged for that include the words "rule out."

Some insurance companies will not pay for an xray (for example) that is to r/o pneumonia. The film would be paid for if the rationale for ordering the xray were "chest pain" or "shortness of breath" etc.

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There should be a medical jargon to lameman english translator... :D

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
It is also becoming more and more frowned upon. For the reason that it not only can sound confusing (as evidenced here), but there are not really diagnoses that can be charged for that include the words "rule out."

Some insurance companies will not pay for an xray (for example) that is to r/o pneumonia. The film would be paid for if the rationale for ordering the xray were "chest pain" or "shortness of breath" etc.

Exactly.

The r/o cannot be a dx for 3rd party reimbursement.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

And...this also points to not allowing abbreviations in charting any longer - misinterpretation.

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Specializes in psychiatric nursing, med/surg adult care.

Guys, do they also use t/c as in "to consider" when doctors out there formulate their medical diagnosis aside from r/o?

From what I know and by how doctors use t/c here in the Phillipines, it seems like it is suggestive of the the top differential diagnosis.

e.g: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever r/o Typhoid Fever t/c Leptospyrosis

thanks!

-tatara

(I'm not sure if its ok to post it here, or should I make a new thread for this?)

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there is also the care plan use r/o=risk of.......

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