Good problem lists are precise and pertinent. The listed problems should include only those issues, conditions or diseases which are "Active", satisfying at least one of the following criteria:
- A reason patient sought help (principal problem, chief complaint, presenting problem, etc.)
- A current comorbidity which could affect or be affected by the principal problem
- A condition subject to active investigation or intervention (e.g., medication therapy)
The problem list is not the only place where health conditions are documented. Other past or enduring concerns may be better listed in a patient's medical, surgical, family, obstetric or device history. Each type of History has documentation tools in Connect Care.
A problem list entry that no longer impacts, or is impacted by, a patient's health condition should be resolved (removing from both problem and history lists) or moved to an appropriate History list (medical, surgical, etc.). Self-limited and non-recurring problems (e.g., single urinary tract infection) are best resolved. Issues with lasting significance (e.g., recurrent urinary tract infections or infection with multi-resistant organisms) are best moved to the History (further examples provided in the Manual).
The Problem List and the Medical History list both provide fast-action tools for moving issues back and forth between the lists.
