{"id":510,"date":"2021-11-01T01:39:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-01T01:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=510"},"modified":"2026-02-19T17:13:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T01:13:05","slug":"importance-of-review-of-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems","title":{"rendered":"Importance of Review of Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\/#The_Patient_Case_Study\" >The Patient Case Study<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\/#Lessons_Learned\" >Lessons Learned<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\/#About_the_Author\" >About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>A thorough <strong>history <\/strong>and <strong>physical exam,<\/strong> including a <strong>review of systems,<\/strong> is important to do with every patient so that <strong>critical diagnoses<\/strong> aren&#8217;t missed.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In medical school, we&#8217;re taught to take a<strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/11-tips-for-taking-a-patient-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">thorough history<\/a>&nbsp;of every patient<\/strong> we see. Unfortunately, in <strong>clinical practice<\/strong>, sometimes it&#8217;s not practical to spend a lot of time taking those histories. There may also be <strong>time constraints<\/strong>, other patients that need to be seen, <strong>administrative tasks<\/strong> to take care of, <strong>prescriptions <\/strong>to be signed off, all part of an endless list of tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, it&#8217;s very tempting to skip certain parts of the history to <strong>expedite the process<\/strong> and move on to the next patient or next task. This is especially true while working in the often busy <strong>emergency department (ED)<\/strong>. You&#8217;ll want to focus on the <strong>chief complaint (CC)<\/strong> (or, the primary reason that they came to the ED) and subsequently, order labs or imaging to address that CC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, slowing down and taking a minute to briefly go through a complete&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/meded.ucsd.edu\/clinicalmed\/ros.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">review of systems<\/a>&nbsp;(ROS)<\/strong> can potentially lead to the <strong>diagnosis <\/strong>and <strong>treatment <\/strong>of an underlying, unknown medical issue. An ROS is a set of questions that are asked to do a <strong>quick survey<\/strong> of the entire body\u2019s organ system. The following case study highlights the importance of a quick, thorough, ROS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Patient_Case_Study\"><\/span>The Patient Case Study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>40-year-old female<\/strong> went to the emergency room for evaluation of <strong>left-sided abdominal pain<\/strong>. This abdominal pain had been <strong>progressively worsening<\/strong> over the past three months. She doesn&#8217;t have any other typical <strong>gastrointestinal symptoms,<\/strong> like issues with going to the restroom, blood in her stool, nausea, vomiting, or fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She has <strong>no other medical issues<\/strong>, has never had cancer, any surgeries, and doesn&#8217;t smoke, drink alcohol, or abuse drugs. Her <strong>physical exam<\/strong> didn&#8217;t reveal any <strong>abdominal pain <\/strong>and was otherwise <strong>unremarkable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"701\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/78.png\" alt=\"A medical student using a Review of Systems while taking a patient's medical history.\" class=\"wp-image-512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/78.png 701w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/78.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of my interview, I briefly asked her some additional questions to complete a ROS. The only <strong>consistent symptom <\/strong>she had for the past three months was feeling <strong>short of breath<\/strong> when she walked, which she&#8217;d attributed to wearing a mask. The medical team decided to perform a <strong>CT scan<\/strong> of her abdomen to see if there was a clue to what was causing her pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remarkably, the CT scan showed nothing, but a <strong>chest x-ray <\/strong>indicated some <strong>haziness in the lungs<\/strong> of her right side. A <strong>chest CT<\/strong> recommended for further evaluation of the haziness suggested a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/learn\/Pleural_effusion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>pleural effusion<\/strong><\/a> (fluid that builds up around the lungs) that could be caused by <strong>heart failure,<\/strong> an <strong>infection<\/strong>, or underlying <strong>cancer<\/strong>. Because her condition was potentially critical, the decision was made to <strong>admit her to the hospital, drain the fluid, <\/strong>and <strong>further investigate her condition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lessons_Learned\"><\/span>Lessons Learned<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This patient case demonstrated the importance of not skipping parts of the history taking. During my early years of medical school, I was often narrowly focusing my questions solely on the <strong>chief complaint.<\/strong> With this patient, had I not done a complete ROS, I wouldn&#8217;t have considered doing <strong>imaging of her chest<\/strong> and we would have missed her pleural effusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, while her shortness of breath was not relevant to her abdominal pain, her <strong>management plan<\/strong> was directed appropriately due to us asking for that information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if certain parts of a ROS don&#8217;t seem relevant to the chief complaint, it&#8217;s still <strong>good practice<\/strong> to perform it. Not only could it change the management plan, but it can also help discover a more <strong>critical issue<\/strong> and pave the way for the patient to get the help that they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Always complete a review of systems to avoid missing hidden health issues.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Time pressure in emergency care can tempt skipping thorough history taking.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A brief ROS can reveal symptoms unrelated to the chief complaint.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Finding unexpected symptoms may change diagnosis and treatment plans.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thorough history helps ensure patients get the right care promptly.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span>About the Author<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brian Le is an OMS-IV at A.T. Still&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.atsu.edu\/school-of-osteopathic-medicine-arizona\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona<\/a>.&nbsp;He is interested in emergency medicine.&nbsp;He loves to rock climb!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/79.png\" alt=\"Osmosis ad driving to the different plans osmosis has\" class=\"wp-image-513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/79.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/79.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Stay a step ahead of your peers by using Osmosis! <em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sign up for a free trial today.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how a complete review of systems (ROS) can lead to making critical diagnoses and ultimately improving patient outcomes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,5,10,30,16,37,32,43,46],"tags":[1752,150,595,594,440,215,1754,84,408,148,279,149,1753,592,1751,593],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-clerkships","category-clinical-skills","category-np","category-do","category-pa","category-nursing","category-residency","category-student-stories","tag-chief-complaint","tag-clinical-practice","tag-diagnosis","tag-diagnostics","tag-emergency-medicine","tag-healthcare-education","tag-healthcare-tips","tag-medical-education","tag-medical-history","tag-medical-training","tag-patient-assessment","tag-patient-care","tag-patient-diagnosis","tag-physical-exam","tag-pleural-effusion","tag-review-of-systems"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover how a complete review of systems (ROS) can lead to making critical diagnoses and ultimately improving patient outcomes.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1081\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brian Le\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brian Le\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2f54dc0bad2c9b01c5953d4b5b8b88dc\"},\"headline\":\"Importance of Review of Systems\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\"},\"wordCount\":722,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"chief complaint\",\"clinical practice\",\"diagnosis\",\"diagnostics\",\"emergency medicine\",\"healthcare education\",\"healthcare tips\",\"medical education\",\"medical history\",\"medical training\",\"patient assessment\",\"patient care\",\"patient diagnosis\",\"physical exam\",\"pleural effusion\",\"review of systems\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Allopathic Medicine (MD)\",\"Clerkships\",\"Clinical Skills\",\"Nurse Practitioner (NP)\",\"Osteopathic Medicine (DO)\",\"Physician Assistants\/Associates (PA)\",\"Registered Nursing (RN)\",\"Residency\",\"Student Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\",\"name\":\"Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1081,\"caption\":\"The Importance of Review of Systems\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Importance of Review of Systems\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"width\":1276,\"height\":596,\"caption\":\"Osmosis Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2f54dc0bad2c9b01c5953d4b5b8b88dc\",\"name\":\"Brian Le\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6d24db03062b674dd4219cfdb6709ad25d97291bdb9ea7dcef4dccabfa87efbb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6d24db03062b674dd4219cfdb6709ad25d97291bdb9ea7dcef4dccabfa87efbb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Brian Le\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/brianle\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog","og_description":"Discover how a complete review of systems (ROS) can lead to making critical diagnoses and ultimately improving patient outcomes.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems","og_site_name":"Osmosis Blog","article_published_time":"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1081,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Brian Le","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems"},"author":{"name":"Brian Le","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2f54dc0bad2c9b01c5953d4b5b8b88dc"},"headline":"Importance of Review of Systems","datePublished":"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems"},"wordCount":722,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","keywords":["chief complaint","clinical practice","diagnosis","diagnostics","emergency medicine","healthcare education","healthcare tips","medical education","medical history","medical training","patient assessment","patient care","patient diagnosis","physical exam","pleural effusion","review of systems"],"articleSection":["Allopathic Medicine (MD)","Clerkships","Clinical Skills","Nurse Practitioner (NP)","Osteopathic Medicine (DO)","Physician Assistants\/Associates (PA)","Registered Nursing (RN)","Residency","Student Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems","name":"Importance of Review of Systems - Osmosis Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","datePublished":"2021-11-01T01:39:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-20T01:13:05+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","width":1080,"height":1081,"caption":"The Importance of Review of Systems"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/importance-of-review-of-systems#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Importance of Review of Systems"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","name":"Osmosis Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization","name":"Osmosis Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","width":1276,"height":596,"caption":"Osmosis Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2f54dc0bad2c9b01c5953d4b5b8b88dc","name":"Brian Le","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6d24db03062b674dd4219cfdb6709ad25d97291bdb9ea7dcef4dccabfa87efbb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6d24db03062b674dd4219cfdb6709ad25d97291bdb9ea7dcef4dccabfa87efbb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Brian Le"},"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/brianle"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/21.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5117,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-collaborate-effectively-with-your-attending-neurology-edition","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":0},"title":"How to Collaborate Effectively with Your Attending: Neurology Edition","author":"Britton Zuccarelli, MD","date":"January 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to your neurology clerkship! Discover key strategies for mastering patient examinations, enhancing clinical skills, and maximizing learning opportunities during this unique rotation.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Collaborate Effectively with Your Attending Neurology Edition","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5321,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/clerkship-tips-how-to-administer-a-mental-status-examination","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":1},"title":"Clerkship Tips: How to Administer a Mental Status Examination","author":"Mike Klug, DO","date":"February 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mental Status Exam (MSE) is essential for evaluating psychological functioning in clinical practice. This guide explores its components, significance, and tips for effective implementation in patient assessments, making it a valuable tool for healthcare providers across various specialties.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clerkship Tips How to Administer a Mental Health Status Examination","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Clerkship_Tips_How_to_Administer_a_Mental_Status_Examination.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Clerkship_Tips_How_to_Administer_a_Mental_Status_Examination.jpg 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Clerkship_Tips_How_to_Administer_a_Mental_Status_Examination.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Clerkship_Tips_How_to_Administer_a_Mental_Status_Examination.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2971,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-the-osmosis-clinical-sciences-library-supports-educators-and-students-more-effectively","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":2},"title":"How the Osmosis Clinical Sciences Library Supports Educators and Students More Effectively","author":"Jennice Lavergne, MD","date":"September 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"In today's Osmosis blog, we're introducing educators to the Osmosis Clinical Sciences library, a new and valuable resource during the transition to clinical rotations. Discover how our new content fosters engaged and effective learning. As medical students transition from preclinical studies into their clinical years in medical school, they begin\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Clinical Skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Clinical Skills","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/clinical-skills"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/how-the-osmosis-clinical-sciences-library-supports-educators-and-students-more-effectively.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/how-the-osmosis-clinical-sciences-library-supports-educators-and-students-more-effectively.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/how-the-osmosis-clinical-sciences-library-supports-educators-and-students-more-effectively.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/how-the-osmosis-clinical-sciences-library-supports-educators-and-students-more-effectively.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5536,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-collaborate-with-your-er-attending","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":3},"title":"How to Collaborate with Your ER Attending","author":"Mike Klug, DO","date":"February 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Embark on your emergency medicine clerkship with confidence by learning how to effectively collaborate with your ER attending. This guide covers essential skills for taking patient histories, understanding the flow of the emergency department, and communicating effectively with patients and colleagues. Enhance your clinical practice and build strong professional relationships\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Collaborate Effectively with Your Attending Emergency Medicine Edition","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/How-to-Collaborate-Effectively-with-Your-Attending-Emergency-Medicine-Edition.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/How-to-Collaborate-Effectively-with-Your-Attending-Emergency-Medicine-Edition.png 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/How-to-Collaborate-Effectively-with-Your-Attending-Emergency-Medicine-Edition.png 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/How-to-Collaborate-Effectively-with-Your-Attending-Emergency-Medicine-Edition.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":965,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/everything-you-ever-needed-to-know-about-year-2-of-medical-school","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":4},"title":"Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Year 2 of Medical School","author":"Jennice Lavergne, MD","date":"February 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"There's a lot to balance during Year 2 of medical school. However, with proper time management skills, effective studying techniques, and a desire to continuously improve, you'll be on the path to success in no time! Get the details in today's Osmosis blog. After making it through that first year\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/year-two-of-medical-school.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/year-two-of-medical-school.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/year-two-of-medical-school.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/year-two-of-medical-school.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2084,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/5-easily-avoidable-medical-malpractice-cases","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":5},"title":"5 Easily Avoidable Medical Malpractice Cases","author":"Fergus Baird, MA","date":"February 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Learn from real-life medical malpractice cases where small mistakes led to serious consequences. Understand key lessons to improve patient safety and avoid lawsuits.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Allopathic Medicine (MD)&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"5 Easily Avoidable Medical Malpractice Cases","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/5-easily-avoidable-medical-malpractice-cases.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/5-easily-avoidable-medical-malpractice-cases.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/5-easily-avoidable-medical-malpractice-cases.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/5-easily-avoidable-medical-malpractice-cases.webp 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9531,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/9531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}