Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.15291/csi.5074
Navigating Medical Language: Challenges and Importance of Clear Communication Between Physicians and Patients within the Croatian Healthcare System
Marija Vukšić Pučar
orcid.org/0009-0007-2073-0982
; Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia
*
Lucija Lukić Jakopčević
; Libertas International University
*
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Medical language is a specialised form of communication
used by healthcare professionals in their daily practice and
medical research. It is strongly influenced by globalisation
and advancements in technology and science, leading to
the continuous evolution of medical vocabulary and the de-
velopment of new terms and meanings. Communication in
healthcare depends on mutual understanding between physi-
cians and their patients. However, this understanding is of-
ten hindered by the gap between the everyday language used
by patients and the medical language used by physicians,
which can create a communication barrier. A lack of com-
prehension and clear communication between patients and
physicians may results in disagreements, conflicts, and even
medical errors. This study examines how the use of medical
language and terminology can impede communication with
patients and explores the strategies that both patients and
physicians use to achieve mutual understanding. The data
analysed in this study were collected during fieldwork con-
ducted in Zagreb between 2017 and 2020 using semi-struc-
tured interviews. This paper draws on the data from eleven
semi-structured interviews in which medical language was
identified as significant. Five interviews were conducted
with healthcare users who had various health conditions and
treatments, and six with physicians from different medical
specialties. The study’s limited number of interlocutors is not intended to offer a general account of communication
issues in Croatia’s public healthcare system. Instead, the re-
search focuses on how wider systemic processes are reflect-
ed in the distinct experiences and perspectives of individual
participants. These lived experiences highlight the contin-
ual importance of personal interaction and communication
in patient–physician relationships and the effect it has on
healthcare outcomes. However, despite advances in digital
technologies and communication that can serve as a helpful
tool in bridging communication gaps, improving commu-
nication is challenging within a strained healthcare system
marked by staff shortages, long waiting times, regional dis-
parities, and low wages.
Ključne riječi
Croatian healthcare system; medical language; medical terminology; physician-patient communication; specialised language
Hrčak ID:
349336
URI
Datum izdavanja:
14.7.2026.
Posjeta: 0 *