When doing a patient history which question is most effective when trying to determine the reason for the patient's visit or chief complaint?

When doing a patient history which question is most effective when trying to determine the reason for the patient's visit or chief complaint?

• A. Are you sick today?
• B. What are your strengths?
• C. What brings you here today?
• D. When did your problems begin?

Answer: (C)

Starting with an open-ended prompt about the reason for the visit draws out the chief complaint in the patient’s own words and sets the interview on the patient’s terms. Asking “What brings you here today?” invites a narrative description of the main issue, its subjective importance, and how it affects daily life. This approach quickly reveals the primary problem and its context, guiding subsequent questions about onset, progression, and related symptoms. In contrast, a vague yes/no question like “Are you sick today?” tends to shut down the conversation and may miss key details or nuances. Asking about strengths isn’t relevant to identifying the current concern. While it’s useful to clarify timing later, “When did your problems begin?” is more effective after the main concern has been stated, to refine onset and course rather than to establish the reason for the visit.

Starting with an open-ended prompt about the reason for the visit draws out the chief complaint in the patient’s own words and sets the interview on the patient’s terms. Asking “What brings you here today?” invites a narrative description of the main issue, its subjective importance, and how it affects daily life. This approach quickly reveals the primary problem and its context, guiding subsequent questions about onset, progression, and related symptoms.

In contrast, a vague yes/no question like “Are you sick today?” tends to shut down the conversation and may miss key details or nuances. Asking about strengths isn’t relevant to identifying the current concern. While it’s useful to clarify timing later, “When did your problems begin?” is more effective after the main concern has been stated, to refine onset and course rather than to establish the reason for the visit.