I Just Realised Why Doctors Say 'Stat', And It's Not Why I Thought

I had no idea.
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We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about why surgeons have to have tools handed to them, and why doctors’ scrubs are usually green or blue. 

But why do doctors say “stat” when they need medication ASAP?

To be honest, I always assumed it was either some kind of acronym or a hospital team name. Nope, it turns out ― the word’s actually shortened Latin.


What? Why? 

Stat is short for the Latin “statim,” meaning immediately or without delay, per the National Library of Medicine. 

There are two other types of orders ― scheduled (like antibiotics), where the meds are intended to have “a continuous effect over a certain period of time,” and PRN, which stands for “pro re nata,” meaning “as the occasion arises.“

PRN orders are typically for specific symptoms, like pain relief for toothache.

On the other hand, “STAT orders, which must be dispensed in a timely fashion, indicate immediate need for the medication,” the article reads.

An article published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports shares that Latin is used a lot in medicine because it was essential in spreading medical practices across the world, meaning people worldwide are likely to be familiar with terms in the language. It also favours no particular language.

“Latin clinical terminology is the result of the centuries-old history of world medical development, which provides a neutral ground for medical professionals from different countries,” the research found.


However, STAT isn’t as immediate as you might think

If, like me, most of your medical knowledge comes from TV shows, you’d be forgiven for thinking STAT-ordered meds come more or less immediately. 

Not the case ― several sources, including an article published in Pediatric Quality & Safety, say “a stat medication order should be administered within 30 minutes of the time it is ordered.” 

Anda Pharmacy Practice article written about STAT order delay times found that “in most health care facilities, problems related to delays in STAT medication order processing time are of common concern.” 

In the medical centre they researched, the median time was 29 minutes. 

Something to consider the next time someone asks you to give them something STAT...