History of Present Illness Terminology

Question 1

what acronym is used to describe the acute complaint in the HPI

Answer 1

SCRATCH-MD

Question 2

what does SCRATCH-MD stand for

Answer 2

S-severity
C-context
R-region/radiation
A-associated symptoms
T-timing
C-character
M-modifying factors
D-duration/onset

Question 3

what is severity

Answer 3

the intensity of pain on a scale of 1-10

Question 4

what is context

Answer 4

the circumstances surrounding the chief complaint, basically what the patient was doing when the chief complaint began

Question 5

what is region

Answer 5

the location of the chief complaint on the body, radiation is the area on the body the chief complaint spreads to

Question 6

what is associated symptoms

Answer 6

the symptoms the patient reports or denies which are directly associated to the chief complaint

Question 7

what is timing

Answer 7

how frequently the chief complaint is occurring

Question 8

what does intermittent mean

Answer 8

the chief complaint comes and goes

Question 9

what does episodes mean

Answer 9

same as intermittent but we can assign a specific quantity. used for vomiting, diarrhea, seizures

Question 10

what is character

Answer 10

how the patient describes the chief complaint. ex: dull, sharp, stabbing, aching, burning

Question 11

what are modifying factors

Answer 11

anything the patient does or takes which makes the chief complaint better, worse or has no change such as medications

Question 12

what is duration

Answer 12

also called onset, when the chief complaint began