patientspecified

Patient specified is a term used in medical and health informatics to denote information that originates directly from the patient rather than from clinical assessment or diagnostic testing. In patient specified data, the patient reports symptoms, diagnoses, or treatment preferences, often through questionnaires, digital health apps, or verbal communication with providers. This approach contrasts with clinician specified data, which are derived from examination, laboratory results, imaging, or medical records. Patient specified information is increasingly incorporated into electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and research databases to capture the patient’s perspective, improve shared decision making, and enhance the accuracy of health surveillance.

In public health reporting, patient specified terms are used in surveillance codes that codify conditions first identified by the patient. For instance, a patient who reports that an ulcer on a skin lesion has definitely caused a cellulitis could be coded as a patient specified cellulitis. Such codes help differentiate self-reported disease from clinician confirmed diagnoses. In health research, patient specified outcomes are common in studies of quality of life, symptom burden, and functional status measurements such as the SF‑36 or EQ‑5D questionnaires. Patient specified data are also critical for patient‐centered outcome research, wherein outcomes most important to patients are measured directly by them rather than inferred by clinicians.

The use of patient specified information raises several concerns. Data validity may be lower when patients misunderstand questions or lack clinical knowledge. Bias can arise if patients over‑ or under‑report symptoms due to cultural or psychosocial factors. Consequently, many health systems implement validation checks, cross‑reference tools, and training for both patients and staff to improve the reliability of patient specified data. Despite these challenges, the inclusion of patient specified information is seen as essential for holistic care, enabling clinicians to align treatment plans with patients’ actual experiences and preferences.