Inclusive Language in Healthcare: Improve Outcomes With Better Communication

Inclusive language matters in all manner of business communications, from the ways we create workplace culture through interpersonal interaction with colleagues to the marketing content that connects us with stakeholders and communicates who we are. While writing The Inclusive Language Handbook with my mentor and colleague Jackie Ferguson, one of the aspects of inclusive language we explored was the question of what it means to be inclusive with your word choice in a particular profession, since inclusive language can mean something slightly different when applied to technology, retail, manufacturing, or – as will be my focus here – the healthcare industry.

In healthcare specifically, inclusive language has the tremendous potential to reduce inequities, improve outcomes, and create safer, healthier lives for everyone. That’s why better communication –by which I mean more respectful, affirming, accurate, precise, and relevant communication – is a core recommendation for healthcare professionals from both the CDC and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.