If people use a word too often, in too many different contexts, it loses its meaning.  “Quality” drove me crazy when I did a lot of PR for residential real estate.  How do you define that? The house doesn’t fall down when you open the front door?  It is equally meaningless when applied to health care.

Today everything is innovative. What does that mean?  New, different? It’s a great word if the product truly changes the world, like the automobile, printing press, Internet, or mobile phones. But it loses its meaning when you’re talking about a software upgrade.

Other words that have lost their meaning:  Strategic. Focused. And, of course there is quality applied to health care. Here is a delightful article featuring overused jargon, including some words I haven’t even heard yet.

While we’re on the topic, Linkedin reveals 10 most overused buzzwords on resumes.  The most common?  Innovative.