Emoji in Medicine

Doctors are getting younger – at least that’s what it seems to old dinosaurs like me.  On my occasional forays into the Hospital system, it’s not uncommon to receive messages from junior colleagues via text…and I’ve even seen textspeak slip into some of my student’s written clerkings.

Which makes me wonder – has anyone seen a referral note or discharge summary written entirely in emoji?

The gauntlet was thrown down via Twitter…and already two (hypothetical) cases have been submitted.

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Can you translate them or do better?

1 thought on “Emoji in Medicine”

  1. My translation attempt.
    UK Gasdoc’s emoji message:
    Alcoholic chap has had wife leave him to commence same-sex relationship and is subsequently heartbroken which has lead to a firearms incident which in turn has led to tears, an ambulance ride to regional center and helicopter retrieval to trauma center. Taken to OT. Over time, requiring massive transfusion but shortly thereafter passes away despite best efforts. In USA this would all cost lots of money but in the UK now will cost nothing due to recent NHS policy change – thumbs up, smiling politicians!

    Leanne Newblack’s emoji message
    A vomit and 5 episodes of diarrhoea, the last of which manages to be in the toilet, led to ambulance ride to hospital where – ?? doors collided with ear – bloods taken, fluids given, patient deemed to be okay and advised to decrease alcohol intake and increase water intake.
    (This is not the prologue to the first message, is it?)

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