Rule of thumb for followup/follow up
Posted By: kathy smith on 2007-09-24
In Reply to:
A good rule of thumb I was taught in training for followup/follow up is if you can put "a" or "the" in front of followup, it is the noun form; otherwise it is the verb form. Ex.
...a/the followup appointment.
...a/the followup x-ray.
...will follow up. (You can't put "a" or "the" in front of follow up, it won't work.)
Anyway, just thought I would share something that has helped me tremendously as a newbie. 
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Follow-up, follow up, followup all correct
Subject: Follow-up, follow up, followup all correct
I have a follow-up appointment tomorrow.
I need to follow up with my doctor.
I am scheduled for followup later this month.
She will follow up with me(v)/will be seen in followup(n); will have a follow-up visit (adj)
Subject: She will follow up with me(v)/will be seen in followup(n); will have a follow-up visit (adj)
x
RULE OF THUMB
Subject: RULE OF THUMB
basic guideline is:
if you have a credible reference, spell it whichever way the reference spells it.
you should never be counted off for it, as long as the reference is credible. if you are, it is a valid challenge to assert.
Rule of thumb. When I was in school for
Subject: Rule of thumb. When I was in school for
my Associate Degree in MRT and BA in HCA, in transcription we were taught that any combining medical form can be combined with any other combining form for things associated in the same part of the body.
My rule of thumb is if it is in a diagnosis,
Subject: My rule of thumb is if it is in a diagnosis,
assessment, impression, procedure performed, it is spelled out.
followup vs follow up - sm please
Subject: followup vs follow up - sm please
Is there an easy way/helpful hint to remember the difference between these?
TIA!
Followup or follow up
Is knowing the difference between followup and follow up really a huge deal? I can never get them straight and QA is always nagging about it.
followup or follow up
Subject: followup or follow up
The rule most places I've seen in followup for a noun and follow up or follow-up for a verb. Any official rules floating around out there? I work for 2 different companies and the editors do it different at each.
help with followup follow up
Subject: help with followup follow up
Found this on another MT board and thought it was EXTREMELY helpful as even as QA I still get confused!
I know "follow up" is a verb and "followup" is a noun/adjective but am still having some trouble. A suggestion is to place a different noun or verb in its place. For example, use eat. He will followup/follow up next week. If you place "eat" in the sentence, "He will eat next week." you know it is a verb because the sentence still makes sense.
followup, follow up
Subject: followup, follow up
I believe it was in Vera Pyle I learned years ago that followup (one word) is a noun, and follow up is an action, a verb. That's how I always remember it.
I know that, but followup or follow-up
Subject: I know that, but followup or follow-up
I'm trying to figure out whether it is "followup" or "follow-up"
followup/follow up help
Subject: followup/follow up help
Do I have this right?
This is a pleasant 71-year-old male in followup (noun) of his small cell CA.
...................................................in followup (adjective) mode of his small cell CA
...................................................in for follow up (verb) of his small cell CA.
Thanks!
FOLLOWUP V. FOLLOW UP
Subject: FOLLOWUP V. FOLLOW UP
Follow up (2 words) is a verb, as in to follow up a patient, while followup (1 word) is a noun, as in seen in followup.
Rosie
Follow up p.r.n. or followup p.r.n.
Subject: Follow up p.r.n. or followup p.r.n.
Even now I'm confused about followup and follow up. TIA.
follow up or followup
Subject: follow up or followup
Is there a "rule" about when it is appropriate to use "follow up" versus "followup"?
Thanks!!
follow up followup
Subject: follow up followup
patient will follow up (verb)in a month.
patient here for followup (noun).
patient will have a followup (noun) appointment in a month.
Followup; follow up
Subject: Followup; follow up
Is there any occasion for use of the hypen with the word followup, follow up? It seems to me the use of the hyphen is gone but just curious.
Followup/follow-up/follow up. SM
Subject: Followup/follow-up/follow up. SM
A doctor can follow up with a patient during a follow-up visit (note that the adjectival form requires a hyphen). Neither phrase should be turned into a single hyphenless word.
follow up v follow-up v followup
Subject: follow up v follow-up v followup
If you can use the word "the" directly in front of the words "follow up", then it needs to be one word. That is the "official" note from my QA. Have a great day.
Follow up:followup: follow-up
Subject: Follow up:followup: follow-up
Ok,, been at this for years,, I think i have it finally and then a QA will correct followup, follow up, or follow-up. I have read and reread the explanation in all the books.. I am looking for someone to "splain to me in english Lucy". I know will follow up is correct,, he has a follow-up appointment, but I seem to get messed up with followup versus follow up. I know the verb and none definition but it does not soak in... HELP
Standard rule of thumb, (no pun intended)
Subject: Standard rule of thumb, (no pun intended)
if it sticks out in the report like a sore thumb and draws undue attendion, then capitalize the first letter not the whole word, i.e. Dermabond.
Rule of thumb--if an allergy is not clear,
Subject: Rule of thumb--if an allergy is not clear,
x
General rule of thumb for hyphenation is - sm
Subject: General rule of thumb for hyphenation is - sm
If you can't find it as one word in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, then you should hyphenate it.
Followup or follow up??? That is the question!
Would somebody please tell me in simple terms how to know which one is the correct one to use! I am going nuts here....Many thanks! 
Followup versus follow up
Subject: Followup versus follow up
Shawna - that is a fantastic idea in using the word "eat". Here's a funny. When I use the word follow up as a verb, I have this one QA person who always changes it to followup, regardless of the sentence.
Followup is noun; follow up is
Subject: Followup is noun; follow up is
xxxxxxx
Followup when a noun, follow up when a verb, and
Subject: Followup when a noun, follow up when a verb, and
Follow up is a verb. Followup is a noun.
Subject: Follow up is a verb. Followup is a noun.
A followup is suggested in one week.
He is going to follow up with his primary care physician.
Yes, there is a difference. If QA is so-called nagging about it, it's probably important.
Please learn from your experience. Good feedback is worth quite a bit!
hope you changed follow up to followup -nm
Subject: hope you changed follow up to followup -nm
followup is a noun, follow up is a verb
Subject: followup is a noun, follow up is a verb
No hyphen...followup... follow up is the only form that means
Subject: No hyphen...followup... follow up is the only form that means
s
even BOS states that follow-up is an acceptable version of followup. sm
Subject: even BOS states that follow-up is an acceptable version of followup. sm
Isn't it funny how this profession dwells on simple little things like this.
followup = noun % adj./follow up = verb per BOS and most companies. NM
Subject: followup = noun % adj./follow up = verb per BOS and most companies. NM
.
here for followup (noun); patient should follow up (verb)
Subject: here for followup (noun); patient should follow up (verb)
nm
Rule ot thumb: When lab values/drug doses are less than 1, add a zero before the decimal point.
Subject: Rule ot thumb: When lab values/drug doses are less than 1, add a zero before the decimal point.
A1c; patient is to follow up in 2 weeks; patient has a followup in 2 weeks.
Subject: A1c; patient is to follow up in 2 weeks; patient has a followup in 2 weeks.
nm
A thumb MCP fusion and a thumb *IPE* possible capsulodesis
Subject: A thumb MCP fusion and a thumb *IPE* possible capsulodesis
x
follow-up is the noun/adjective. follow up is the verb.
Subject: follow-up is the noun/adjective. follow up is the verb.
I prefer to hyphen follow-up when used as a noun or adjective.
example: She will return in 3 weeks for follow-up (or followup). She will return in 3 weeks for a follow-up visit (used as adjective here).
She will follow up in 3 months (used as verb)
follow up if used as a verb and follow-up as a noun. SM
Subject: follow up if used as a verb and follow-up as a noun. SM
For Example:
The patient will follow up in my office.
The patient will be seen for follow-up in my office.
My understanding has always been that follow-up and followup were the same. It was more of a personal preference whether you used the hyphen or used one word; however follow up is always used when used as a verb.
follow up versus follow-up. SM
Subject: follow up versus follow-up. SM
Would someone be willing to give examples of when to use the hyphen or not to use? Thanks.
That should be thumb.
Subject: That should be thumb.
Thanks.
Splint for the thumb
Subject: Splint for the thumb
s/l orthoply ? splint for the thumb after surgery Thanks for the help. pj
name of thumb tourniquet
Subject: name of thumb tourniquet
Sounds like "tournicot"?
polydactylyzed???? thumb
Subject: polydactylyzed???? thumb
procedure is excision, reconstruction of right polydactylzed??? thumb. Patient has right thumb polydactyly. Is there such a word?
area of the thumb - s/l em-pu-age
Subject: area of the thumb - s/l em-pu-age
On physical examination, she is point tender, has a positive CMC grind in the very base of her thumb and in the empuage of her thumb as well.
Thanks.
X-ray of nail through thumb. SM
Subject: X-ray of nail through thumb. SM
Dictator gives location of nail, saying "apparently s/l SKY-VING just anterior to the tuft of the distal phalanx." Skyving? I can find it only in the urban dictionary. 
"Falen" on right thumb tip
Subject: "Falen" on right thumb tip
The patient has a 2-week history of a "falen" on her right thumb tip. It was decompressed in the ER and she subsequently went on to have an MRI.
I've done ortho for a long time and have only ever heard of Phalen's test/maneuver, but that's exactly what it sounds like.
Anybody hear of this before?
s/l 'tofi' on thumb
Subject: s/l 'tofi' on thumb
The patient has a large 'tofi' on her thumb.
Vapo Thumb?
Subject: Vapo Thumb?
sounds like vapo thumb??
Wrist/base of thumb. nm
Subject: Wrist/base of thumb. nm
nm
pollicis pertains to the thumb - sm
Subject: pollicis pertains to the thumb - sm
hallux pertains to the great toe. Would the word before *pollicis* be flexor or extensor, or maybe adductor or abductor???
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