How can you indicate a patient's principal problem in the Problem List section?

Indicating a patient's principal problem in the Problem List section is accomplished by checking the box in the Principal column. This action emphasizes the primary diagnosis that needs to be addressed for the patient, distinguishing it from other related issues. By marking it as the principal problem, healthcare providers can easily identify the main focus of treatment, which is crucial for care coordination and effective clinical decision-making.

While selecting the problem from the Diagnosis list may seem like a logical step, it does not specifically designate it as the principal problem within the context of the patient's overall treatment plan. Similarly, flagging a problem as urgent is useful for prioritizing care but does not specifically denote it as the primary concern. Entering a problem as the first entry in the list provides a suggestion of priority but does not formally mark it as the principal problem according to the system's structure. Thus, checking the Principal column effectively communicates the most significant health issue for the patient among all recorded problems.