The chief complaint, formally known as CC in the medical field, or termed presenting complaint (PC) in Europe and Canada, forms the second step of
medical history
The medical history, case history, or anamnesis (from Greek: ἀνά, ''aná'', "open", and μνήσις, ''mnesis'', "memory") of a patient is information gained by a physician by asking specific questions, either to the patient or to other pe ...
taking. It is sometimes also referred to as reason for encounter (RFE), presenting problem, problem on admission or reason for presenting. The chief complaint is a concise statement describing the
symptom
Signs and symptoms are the observed or detectable signs, and experienced symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature than normal, raised or lowered blood pressure or an abnormality showi ...
, problem,
condition,
diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " cause and effect". In systems engin ...
,
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
-recommended return, or other reason for a medical
encounter. In some instances, the nature of a patient's chief complaint may determine if services are covered by
health insurance.
When obtaining the chief complaint,
medical students are advised to use open-ended questions. Once the presenting problem is elucidated, a
history of present illness can be done using acronyms such as
SOCRATES
Socrates (; ; –399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no te ...
or
OPQRST
__NOTOC__OPQRST is a mnemonic initialism used by medical professionals to accurately discern reasons for a patient's symptoms and history in the event of an acute illness. It is specifically adapted to elicit symptoms of a possible heart attac ...
to further analyze the severity, onset and nature of the presenting problem. The patient's initial comments to a physician,
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
, or other
health care professionals are important for formulating
differential diagnoses.
Prevalence
The collection of chief complaint data may be useful in addressing
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
issues. Certain complaints are more common in certain settings and among certain populations.
Fatigue
Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...
has been reported as one of the ten most common reasons for seeing a physician. In
acute care settings, such as
emergency room
An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the acute care of pa ...
s, reports of
chest pain are among the most common chief complaints. The most common complaint in ERs has been reported to be
abdominal pain
Abdominal pain, also known as a stomach ache, is a symptom associated with both non-serious and serious medical issues.
Common causes of pain in the abdomen include gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome. About 15% of people have a m ...
. Among
nursing home
A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...
residents seeking treatment at ERs,
respiratory symptoms, altered mental status,
gastrointestinal symptoms, and
falls
Falls may refer to:
Places
* Waterfalls or rapids
* Falls, North Carolina, USA
* Falls, West Virginia, USA
Other uses
* The ropes or wires, fed through davits, that are used to secure and lower a ship's lifeboats.
* Falls (surname)
* The sepa ...
are the most commonly reported.
See also
*
Identified patient
*
Medical history
The medical history, case history, or anamnesis (from Greek: ἀνά, ''aná'', "open", and μνήσις, ''mnesis'', "memory") of a patient is information gained by a physician by asking specific questions, either to the patient or to other pe ...
References
External links
*
{{Medical records
Medical terminology
Symptoms