Identifying data wwAge, gender, occupation marital status
wwSource of the history: usually the patient, but
can be a family member or friend, letter of
referral or the medical record
wwIf appropriate, establish the source of referral
because a written report may be needed
Reliability Varies according to the patient’s memory, trust
and mood
Chief
complaint(s)
The one or more symptoms or concerns causing
the patient to seek care
Present illness wwAmplifies the chief complaint: describes how
each symptom has developed
wwIncludes patient’s thoughts and feelings
towards the illness
wwPulls in relevant portions of the system’s
review
wwMay include medications, allergies, smoking
habits, alcohol consumption and risk factor
profile
Past history wwChildhood illness
wwAdult illness with dates: include medical,
surgical, psychiatric and obstetric/
gynaecological illnesses
wwHealth maintenance practices such as
immunisations, screening tests, lifestyle
issues and home safety
Family history wwOutlines age and health or age and cause of
death of siblings, parents and grandparents
wwDocuments the presence or absence of
specific illness, such as hypertension,
coronary artery disease, sudden adult death
Personal and
social history
Describes educational level, family of origin,
current household, personal interests and
lifestyle. Occupational history and exposure to
hazardous substances should be noted; consider
illicit drug use
Review of the
systems
Documents the presence or absence of common
symptoms related to each major body part