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Mentor

Let's Talk About Using Acronyms

Posted by Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn, Feb 16 6:32pm

Hello members, some of us are accustomed to texting, and using a lot of "shortcut" abbreviations. I even find myself doing it on Connect from time to time, even though I try not to do it.

Please remember that every single day we have new visitors and members in our great MAC & Bronchiectasis group. Imagine a new visitor reading the following sentence:
"Hello and welcome to MC, I'm the VM for the MAC &BE group. Here you can learn about saline nebs, AC, NTM, MABC, SOB, whether to go to NJH, or if you need an ID doc. People share their experiences with the Big 3, PEPs, Smart Vests, Bololos and Life Straws."
Do you feel like you need a translator? Do you think a newcomer might feel as if they have dropped in on a private conversation?
Please, let's try to use the full word/term/title the first time in any post. Then it's usually OK to abbreviate with the acronym.

Feel free to flag me if I start doing this.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

Profile picture for cholash
cholash | @cholash | 7 hours ago
In reply to @blm1007blm1007 "@sueinmn Glad you posted that "BE means Barium Enema, not Bronchiectasis" That was my fault. I..." + (show)
Profile picture for blm1007blm1007 @blm1007blm1007

@sueinmn Glad you posted that "BE means Barium Enema, not Bronchiectasis" That was my fault. I thought I read somewhere that BE did stand for Bronchiectasis.
Since your first suggestion about acronyms I am conscious of it but probably have slipped a few times and not spelled it out. Now I know, what the BE acronym really means, thanks.
Barbara

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@blm1007blm1007 like you , I’ve been confused with it all. I learned I had Bronchiectasis not too long before starting Brinsupri . On anything where there is involvement from Insmed, makers of Brinsupri , bronchiectasis IS called BE. Look at their website. I think “BE” is even mentioned in some of their commercials.
In fact , World Bronchiectasis Day , “BE the light”, appears tied to this acronym .

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Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | 7 hours ago
In reply to @cholash "@blm1007blm1007 like you , I’ve been confused with it all. I learned I had Bronchiectasis not..." + (show)
Profile picture for cholash @cholash

@blm1007blm1007 like you , I’ve been confused with it all. I learned I had Bronchiectasis not too long before starting Brinsupri . On anything where there is involvement from Insmed, makers of Brinsupri , bronchiectasis IS called BE. Look at their website. I think “BE” is even mentioned in some of their commercials.
In fact , World Bronchiectasis Day , “BE the light”, appears tied to this acronym .

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@cholash & @blm1007blm1007 Yes, Insmed and others are now using BE. But, if you look up "BE" in openmd.com you will not find that as a common acronym.

The point isn't whether anyone uses it, it is that it can mean many things, and confuse people.

So let's circle back to the point of my post - please spell out terms, in every message, before using an abbreviation. Thousands of people read our messages who have not necessarily read through the entire discussion, which can be many pages long.

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Scott R L | @scottrl | 3 hours ago
In reply to @sueinmn "@cholash & @blm1007blm1007 Yes, Insmed and others are now using BE. But, if you look up..." + (show)
Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

@cholash & @blm1007blm1007 Yes, Insmed and others are now using BE. But, if you look up "BE" in openmd.com you will not find that as a common acronym.

The point isn't whether anyone uses it, it is that it can mean many things, and confuse people.

So let's circle back to the point of my post - please spell out terms, in every message, before using an abbreviation. Thousands of people read our messages who have not necessarily read through the entire discussion, which can be many pages long.

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@sueinmn To expound on something I said earlier, when I see a bunch of unfamiliar acronyms, I don't read any further.
I figure that if I can't figure out what's being discussed, I probably can't contribute anyway.
Tma;dr (Too many acronyms; didn't read.)

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