The Chief Complaint formally known as CC in the medical field, or termed Presenting Complaint (PC) in the UK, is a concise statement describing the symptom, problem, condition, diagnosis, physician recommended return, or other factor that is the reason for a medical encounter.[1] The patient's initial comments to a physician, nurse, or other health care professional help form the differential diagnosis.
In some instances, the nature of a patient's chief complaint may determine whether or not services are covered by medical or vision insurance.[2]
Medical students are advised to use open-ended questions in order to obtain the presenting complaint.[3]
Other terms sometimes used include Reason for Encounter (RFE), Presenting Problem, Problem on admission and Reason for Presenting.
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The collection of chief complaint data may be useful in addressing public health issues.[4] Certain complaints are more common in certain settings and among certain populations. Fatigue has been reported as one of the ten most common reasons for seeing a physician.[5] In acute care settings, such as emergency rooms, reports of chest pain are among the most common chief complaints.[6] The most common complaint in ERs has been reported to be abdominal pain.[7] Among nursing home residents seeking treatment at ERs, respiratory symptoms, altered mental status, gastrointestinal symptoms, and falls are the most commonly reported.[8]
| Type of history | CC | HPI | ROS | Past, family, and/or social |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Problem focused | Required | Brief | N/A | N/A |
| Expanded problem focused | Required | Brief | Problem pertinent | N/A |
| Detailed | Required | Extended | Extended | Pertinent |
| Comprehensive | Required | Extended | Complete | Complete |
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