Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam

How does reviewing a patient's history of present illness benefit physical examination?

1. Allows for a quick diagnosis

2. Indicates potential patient friendliness

3. Suggests compliance with medications

4. Provides insight into expected examination findings

The correct answer is: Provides insight into expected examination findings

The benefit of reviewing a patient's history of present illness is that it provides insight into expected examination findings. Understanding the chronology, nature, and context of the patient's symptoms allows the clinician to form hypotheses about what may be occurring in the body. This knowledge guides the clinician's physical examination, as certain aspects of the history may suggest particular areas of focus or specific signs to look for during the assessment. For instance, if the patient presents with chest pain that has been gradually worsening over the past week, the clinician may pay particular attention to the cardiovascular system during the exam and assess for any signs of complications. Additionally, nuances in the history can help prioritize which systems to examine thoroughly, potentially identifying the root cause of the patient’s complaints more effectively. While quick diagnosis can be an outcome of good history-taking, the process of diagnosis often requires a comprehensive approach that includes both history and physical examination. Indications of patient friendliness or compliance with medications are certainly important in the broader context of patient care and rapport but do not directly inform the specifics of physical examination findings.