A medical condition is any health problem, diagnosis, illness, injury, or health concern that affects you. This includes chronic diseases, recent injuries, ongoing symptoms, and anything your healthcare team is monitoring.

Your healthcare team uses this information to provide better, more coordinated care and make informed decisions about your treatment and health management.

Note: Only your healthcare providers can add or update your medical conditions to ensure accuracy and proper medical oversight.

 

Types of Conditions You'll See

Chronic conditions (long-term health problems):

  • Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease
  • Arthritis, asthma, COPD
  • Depression, anxiety, chronic pain

Recent or short-term problems:

  • Infections (pneumonia, UTI, strep throat)
  • Injuries (fractures, sprains, cuts)
  • Recent illnesses (flu, food poisoning)

Past health problems:

  • Previous surgeries or procedures
  • Past illnesses that have resolved
  • Previous injuries with lasting effects

Two main categories:

  • Encounter Diagnoses: Conditions diagnosed during a specific visit
  • Problem List: Ongoing health concerns requiring long-term management

 

Understanding Your Condition Information

Current status:

  • Active: Currently affecting your health and requiring attention
  • Inactive: Present but not currently causing problems
  • Resolved: No longer a health concern
  • Remission: Temporarily improved but may return

Verification status:

  • Confirmed: Definitively diagnosed through tests or examination
  • Suspected: Likely but not yet confirmed
  • Provisional: Working diagnosis that may change

Additional details you might see:

  • Severity: How serious the condition is (mild, moderate, severe)
  • Body location: What part of your body is affected
  • Timeline: When it started, when it was recorded, when it resolved
  • Staging: For conditions like cancer, how advanced they are
  • Evidence: Symptoms and test results that support the diagnosis

 

How to Use This Information

Review regularly:

  • Check that all your current health problems are listed
  • Make sure resolved conditions are marked as resolved
  • Note any conditions you don't recognize or understand
  • Pay attention to the status of your chronic conditions

Share with healthcare providers:

  • Inform specialists about all your conditions
  • Share this information during emergency visits
  • Provide complete condition lists to new healthcare providers
  • Mention how your conditions affect your daily life

Stay engaged in your care:

  • Report new symptoms or changes in existing conditions
  • Ask about treatment options and management strategies
  • Understand how your different conditions interact
  • Know what warning signs to watch for

 

Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Team

About new diagnoses:

  • "What does this condition mean for my health?"
  • "What caused this condition?"
  • "What treatment options are available?"
  • "How will this affect my daily life?"

About ongoing conditions:

  • "How is my condition progressing?"
  • "Are my current treatments working?"
  • "What can I do to better manage this condition?"
  • "When should I be concerned about changes?"

About your overall health:

  • "How do my different conditions interact with each other?"
  • "What preventive care do I need based on my conditions?"
  • "Are there lifestyle changes that could help?"
  • "What warning signs should I watch for?"

Your condition information is a powerful tool for understanding and managing your health. Use it to stay informed and engaged in your healthcare.