The Problem of Representation:

Journal of General Internal Medicine Exercises in Clinical Reasoning http://sgim.org/web-only The problem representation is a one-sentence summary that highlights the defining features of a case. It helps clinicians summarize their thoughts and then generate a differential diagnosis. The “one-liner” statements used to summarize patient cases on rounds, in notes, or when calling consults are all versions of the problem representation. A problem representation should be updated iteratively as the clinician gathers data throughout a patient encounter. A well-formed problem representation facilitates clinical reasoning and serves as the backbone for how clinicians communicate with one another.