History Taking

S P Rao, Dean, Narayana Medical College, Nellore

Summary:

Younger generations of doctors are becoming more and more dependent on

laboratory/ radiological investigations. These investigations always do not give a
clear picture; at times, enhance the already existing confusing information.
Another critical fact to remember is that there are very few standardised
accredited laboratories, the results of whom we can trust. The young doctors do
not realise how much information can be obtained from a well-taken history and
how it can limit the number of investigations; thereby reducing the cost of therapy.

Worldwide it has been felt that there is an absolute need to reduce the cost of
therapy. The present-day of health insurance policies and the concept of evidence-
based medicine compel the prescribing doctors to rationalise these investigations.
History is essential in every case; medical, surgical or gynaecological or in other
fields. Over the years, undergraduate students take a bizarre history.
Postgraduate students also take account without knowing the importance of every
aspect of history. Practising clinicians have sparse time in collecting complete
history.
Often medical teachers instruct the students to collect the history without teaching
them how to take history, nor guide them while they are taking history. Clinicians
give undue importance to physical examination and investigations. A beginner
gets confused when instructed to record the chief complaints to be recorded in
patient’s language, because often the language the patient uses is not understood
well, nor there is an exact counterpart available in the medical textbooks. So the
information collected does not serve any purpose. The anatomy and physiology of
history taking are described so that the students will realise the importance of
history and they can conduct better interviews and collect useful information.