Avoid or adequately explain jargon

For example:

1. Rather than saying “pulmonary embolism” or “DVT” you might say: blood clot in your lungs/leg
2. Rather than saying do “you have any cardiac disease” you might say: “have you ever had heart problems?”

Alternatively, you could explain to the patient what each of these mean before using the terms

Exercise: What are other medical terms that you think healthcare professionals often use mistakenly assuming our patients understand these terms?

Silverman, J., Kurtz, S., & Draper, J. (2013). Skills for Communicating with Patients (Thrid Edit). London: Radcliffe Publishing.