TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: use of he/she/they From:Beth Agnew <bagnew -at- INSYSTEMS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 12 Aug 1997 16:58:16 -0400
Barclay, I think you've done a fine job with it as it is. I will use this
opportunity to point out something that jumped out at me, but only because
I had a long (and horrendous!) contract removing gender bias from a huge
pile of boring government information: In the example, did anyone notice
that the female has dependents, suggesting a caregiving role, and the male
is "self-insured under an indemnity plan" suggesting independence and
autonomy? My former bureaucratic masters would have had a fit!
I know, I know, if a person has dependents it could also mean being the
breadwinner (single moms? - yikes! Another bias!). This gender /
gender-less thing is so insidious! (But mark you, see how deftly I avoided
he/she/it two sentences ago.) Can we talk about trucks and space ships now?
Barclay Blanchard wrote:
>What's the difference between patients and members?
>A patient is anyone who receives medical treatment from your enterprise.
>A member is someone who's part of a managed care plan.
>Someone could be a member and not be a patient if her dependents,
>for instance, are patients.
>Someone could be a patient and not a member if he is not insured or
>if he is self insured under an indemnity plan.
>It's likely that most of your patients are eligible for membership
>in some group care plan.
Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc. mailto:bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
Fax: (905) 513-1419
Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com
Quote of the Day: "I don't like money, really, but it quiets my nerves." --
Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis.
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html