A symptom diary can be an effective tool for augmenting the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Patient logging of specified symptoms or activities in an organized manner improves history taking with minimal risk and cost and may help to avoid unnecessary interventions. Even simple paper-based symptom diaries such as these can be beneficial:
• Exercise diary (PDF, login required),
• Food diary (PDF, login required),
• General symptom diary (PDF, login required),
• Headache diary (PDF, login required),
• Sleep diary (PDF, login required),
• Voiding diary (PDF, login required).
Read the full FPM article: “The Use of Symptom Diaries in Outpatient Care.”
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