I wrote a letter to the World Health Organization
Director‑General
World Health Organization
Subject: Recommendation to Prioritize U.S. Customary Units in Patient‑Facing Healthcare Communications
Dear Director‑General,
I respectfully request that WHO recommend health systems and providers present U.S. customary units (inches, feet, pounds, ounces, gallons) first in patient‑facing materials, with metric (SI) units shown secondarily in parentheses.
Rationale:
- Many patients, particularly older adults in communities familiar with customary units, comprehend and act on measurements more readily when presented in those units.
- Presenting customary units first improves patient understanding and adherence while retaining metric units for clinical accuracy and international interoperability.
Recommended actions:
1. Advise member states to display customary units first and SI units in parentheses on intake forms, medication and dosing instructions, discharge summaries, patient education materials, and device packaging intended for patients.
2. Recommend electronic health record and patient portal default displays support customary units where preferred by the patient.
3. Encourage clinician training to ask and use the patient’s preferred units during verbal communication.
These measures can increase patient comprehension and safety with minimal impact on clinical workflows. Thank you for considering this patient‑centered approach.
Respectfully,
Marnie Twizzlesprowt Bumblesproot Von Wiffle The IV
Owner of The Donald Trump and Joe Biden Life size Robot
World Health Organization
Subject: Recommendation to Prioritize U.S. Customary Units in Patient‑Facing Healthcare Communications
Dear Director‑General,
I respectfully request that WHO recommend health systems and providers present U.S. customary units (inches, feet, pounds, ounces, gallons) first in patient‑facing materials, with metric (SI) units shown secondarily in parentheses.
Rationale:
- Many patients, particularly older adults in communities familiar with customary units, comprehend and act on measurements more readily when presented in those units.
- Presenting customary units first improves patient understanding and adherence while retaining metric units for clinical accuracy and international interoperability.
Recommended actions:
1. Advise member states to display customary units first and SI units in parentheses on intake forms, medication and dosing instructions, discharge summaries, patient education materials, and device packaging intended for patients.
2. Recommend electronic health record and patient portal default displays support customary units where preferred by the patient.
3. Encourage clinician training to ask and use the patient’s preferred units during verbal communication.
These measures can increase patient comprehension and safety with minimal impact on clinical workflows. Thank you for considering this patient‑centered approach.
Respectfully,
Marnie Twizzlesprowt Bumblesproot Von Wiffle The IV
Owner of The Donald Trump and Joe Biden Life size Robot
