Sig code: frequency

QOD medical abbreviation

QOD means "every other day".

On The Joint Commission's Do Not Use list. ISMP suggests: Write "every other day".

Each meaning matched at least two public references (5 in all for QOD), checked October 23, 2026. The table lists them.

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What QOD means

Example

Training example of a Do Not Use entry: "QOD" written on an order.

A made-up line that shows the abbreviation in place. It is not about any patient and is not an instruction.

Related abbreviations

  • QDevery day
  • QIDfour times a day
  • TIWthree times a week
  • BIDtwice a day
  • PRNas needed
  • TIDthree times a day

Elsewhere on Rivvi

Questions

What does QOD mean in medical terms?

QOD means "every other day".

Where is QOD used?

QOD shows up in prescriptions and medication labels. Its category here is sig code: frequency.

Is QOD on the Joint Commission Do Not Use list?

Yes. The Joint Commission's Do Not Use list includes QOD. ISMP's suggested practice: Write "every other day".

Source: NCI Thesaurus, including CDISC SDTM terminology (NCI EVS); FDA Acronyms and Abbreviations; HL7 Terminology (GTSAbbreviation, TimingEvent, RouteOfAdministration, orderableDrugForm); ISMP List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations (2024); The Joint Commission Do Not Use List. Data as of October 23, 2026. Last updated October 23, 2026. How we source data. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

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