Is the Psychiatric History Losing Its Relevance?

Abstract

One of the axioms of medical practice is that obtaining a good history is key to making a correct diagnosis and developing a treatment plan. This is particularly true in psychiatry, in which laboratory or imaging investigations are not typically of great value. Any factor that compromises a history may compromise care. This area of practice has not been formally studied, although it is widely believed to be true. In mental health settings, there are many factors that affect obtaining the history. Among these are the skills of the clinician in eliciting relevant information in a limited time, the clinician’s philosophy regarding the importance of such history, and lack of formal training in history-taking. Nonphysician clinicians may be more likely than psychiatrists to confront these barriers. Practice settings may, in their effort to maximize access, patient turnover, and cost control, convey a here-and-now approach to patient care, implicitly downplaying the importance of a complete history. There may be some cultural factors at play as well, reflecting American society’s gradually decreased interest in the study of history. Despite these understandable barriers, the need for a complete history is still the highest priority in an initial evaluation. Some suggestions are offered to support clinicians’ and organizations’ struggles to keep a comprehensive history at the forefront of care.