“Diagnosed”: Medical Definition and Process

Diagnosed (past participle of diagnose) – identified a disease or condition through clinical evaluation.

Diagnostic Process

1. History – chief complaint, HPI, ROS, PMH, FH, SH.
2. Physical exam – objective signs.
3. Diagnostic testing – labs, imaging, pathology, functional studies.
4. Synthesis – pattern recognition, differential diagnosis, probabilistic reasoning.
5. Communication – share diagnosis, prognosis, plan with patient.

Key Concepts

• Working vs. definitive diagnosis – provisional → confirmed.
• Diagnostic criteria – standardized definitions (e.g., ACR, DSM-5, WHO).
• Misdiagnosis – error types: missed, wrong, delayed.

Diagnosis is a clinical judgment, not merely a label.