Documentation of family health history in the outpatient medical record

Abstract

In a university-based family practice residency program, patients' computerized medical records were audited to determine how information about family health history was recorded. Family history items were listed on the problem lists for only 4.4 percent of all active patients and for only 2.7 percent of a systematic sample of 375 patients. A manual audit of 75 charts randomly selected from the systematic sample showed that the problem lists contained only 5.8 percent of the family history items reported by patients. Children's problem lists contained fewer family history items than did those of adults.