Interval history
Formal Definition
A focused update of a patient's medical history covering events, symptoms, and developments that have occurred since the last clinical encounter; distinguishes new findings from established baseline and guides daily progress note documentation in the inpatient setting.
How It's Used on the Ward
"Interval" or "any overnight events?" — the brief events-since-last-seen portion of a daily progress note or handoff.
Example
""Interval: patient had one episode of fever to 38.8°C overnight, responded to acetaminophen; blood cultures drawn. Otherwise resting comfortably, no new complaints. Interval chest X-ray unchanged from admission.""
Clinical Context
Daily progress notes in SOAP format begin with the interval history (what changed overnight or since last seen). Distinguish new/acute changes from stable chronic findings — "unchanged" is meaningful clinical documentation. Common interval items: vitals trends, overnight events (fever, hypotension, desaturations), nursing concerns, laboratory and imaging results, patient-reported symptoms. Avoid restating the entire admission history in every note — that is padding, not documentation.