A retrospective audit of family history records in short-stay medical admissions.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively review the frequency and adequacy of family histories recorded from patients admitted to a short-stay medical unit in a tertiary teaching hospital.


METHODS
A formal audit of the medical records of 300 randomly selected patients who were admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital short-stay medical unit between July and December 2007.


METHODS
Proportion of patient records with family history documents.


RESULTS
Of the 300 patient records, 48 (16.0%) contained a family history with specific details about the presence or absence of a medical condition in at least one relative. Overall, 221 records (73.7%) had no family history documented. There was a trend towards more frequent and detailed family histories being recorded from younger patients and those presenting with chest pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Family history was seldom documented in patients admitted to a short-stay medical unit in a tertiary teaching hospital. An increased focus on family history taking among acutely ill patients offers potential health gains for patients and their high-risk relatives, particularly as preventive or risk-reducing health care strategies are emerging for a growing number of heritable disorders.
Langlands
Andrew R
AR
Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia. Andrew.Langlands@health.wa.gov.au
Prentice
David A
DA
Ravine
David
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010375:Pedigree; D055815:Young Adult