Which components make up the subjective assessment in a clinical evaluation?

The subjective assessment in a clinical evaluation primarily focuses on the patient's personal experience of their health condition. This includes the Chief Complaint, the History of Present Illness, and the Review of Systems.

The Chief Complaint (CC) is the primary issue or symptom that brings the patient to seek medical care. The History of Present Illness (HPI) expands on the CC by detailing the symptoms, their onset, duration, and severity, as well as other relevant nuances of the patient's current medical situation. The Review of Systems (ROS) involves a systematic questioning that allows the clinician to gather information about various body systems and identify additional symptoms the patient may not have initially mentioned.

Together, these components create a comprehensive narrative that reflects the patient's perspective and aids in forming a differential diagnosis, thus highlighting their importance in a subjective assessment. This contrasts with other options like physical exam findings, lab results, and imaging, which are objective data rather than subjective reports of the patient's experience.