S/P Medical Abbreviation: Meaning and Examples

What Does S/P Mean in Medical Terms?

The abbreviation s/p stands for “status post.” In simple words, it means “after” or “following.” When doctors or nurses use it in medical notes, they are describing something that happened in the past. For example, if your record says s/p appendectomy, it means you are now in a condition after having your appendix removed.

This abbreviation is one of the many short forms used in healthcare. It helps medical staff write information quickly and clearly without long sentences.

How S/P Is Used in Healthcare

You will often see s/p in hospital charts, discharge papers, and doctor’s notes. Healthcare providers use it to:

• Show what procedure, treatment, or event a patient has already gone through.
• Save time while writing medical reports.
• Keep records short, simple, and easy for other professionals to understand.

Examples of S/P in Medical Records

After Surgeries

If a note says s/p appendectomy, it means the patient is now after appendix removal. If it says s/p hip replacement, it means the surgery is already done and the patient is in recovery.

After Treatments or Procedures

Sometimes it refers to treatments. For example:

• s/p chemotherapy = after finishing chemotherapy.
• s/p blood transfusion = after receiving a blood transfusion.

After Events or Conditions

It can also describe conditions. For example:

• s/p fracture = after breaking a bone.
• s/p myocardial infarction = after a heart attack.

In fact, research shows that people who have experienced a heart attack remain at higher risk afterward. In a large study of post-myocardial infarction (post-MI) patients, the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was about 9.6% in 1 year and 13.8% in 3 years; mortality reached 4.3% at 1 year.

Why Is S/P Important in Medicine?

Using s/p helps doctors and nurses keep medical records clear and simple.

It is also useful for:

• Tracking progress - knowing what stage the patient is in.
• Planning treatment - deciding what to do next based on what has already been done.
• Communication - making it easier for different healthcare providers to understand each other’s notes.

Related Medical Abbreviations

Alongside s/p, you may also see other abbreviations in medical notes:

• C/B (Complicated By): shows a complication after a condition or procedure. Example: pneumonia c/b sepsis.
• H/O (History Of): points to something in the patient’s past. Example: H/O hypertension.
• POD (Post-Operative Day): describes the days after surgery. Example: POD#2 = two days after surgery.