It is not uncommon for the patient to wait until the physician is about to leave the examination room before giving the reason for the visit. This lengthy discussion about the CC is not to imply that every patient will have a problem, but the majority will. The CC and the HPI have a similar connotation. The HPI is a chronological description of the present illness from the first sign or symptom or from the previous encounter to the present. Figure 1 shows the elements of the HPI and some common examples for each element.
Many patients offer an abbreviated description of their problem.
Some volunteer little or no information and assume you know why they are there. This is when the artistry of history taking becomes crucial. It is up to the history taker to ask leading questions and draw the information from the patient. The technician sometimes gets the cold shoulder from patients. For example, a construction worker presents with a foreign body in his eye.