R/O
Medical abbreviation · Medical Documentation
| Stands for | Rule out |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
R/O stands for Rule out, a medical documentation abbreviation.
Indicates a condition being actively investigated so it can be confirmed or excluded, as in "R/O MI" or "R/O sepsis". It signals uncertainty and guides testing.
Example: Admit to telemetry, R/O ACS with serial troponins and stress test.
Usage notes
Coding rules differ by setting: in US inpatient coding an uncertain diagnosis documented at discharge, such as "rule out pneumonia", is coded as if confirmed, but outpatient coding uses only the symptoms. Writing "ruled out" when testing is complete prevents later confusion.
Related abbreviations
More medical documentation abbreviations
- ppx – Prophylaxis
- PSH – Past surgical history
- Pt – Patient
- PTA – Prior to admission
- PWID – People who inject drugs
- Px – Prognosis
- ROS – Review of systems
- RTC – Return to clinic
- SBAR – Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation
- SH – Social history
- SOAP – Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan
- SOAPIE – Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan, Intervention, Evaluation
See all 79 medical documentation abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.