History of Present Illness (HPI)
The HPI is the fundamental part of the oral presentation and the source of 90% of correct diagnoses.
Content
All "positive" elements (i.e., what occurred) precede all "negative" elements (what was absent)
"Positive" statements:
Are presented in chronologic order
Are attentive to detail
Frequently used descriptors include patient’s own words, whether intermittent/constant, duration, frequency, whether changing over time (progressive, stable, improving), aggravating/alleviating features, associated symptoms, prior episodes, attribution (i.e., the patient’s own interpretation of his or her symptoms), and, if pain, quality, location, depth, radiation, severity (1-10 scale)
If the current problem is a direct extension of a previous ongoing active medical problem, the HPI begins with a 1-2 sentence summary of that ongoing medical problem, using "key words"
Date of diagnosis?
How was diagnosis made?
Current symptoms and treatment?
Are any complications present?
Are any objective measures of the chronic problem available? (e.g., a1c for diabetes, FEV1 for COPD)