A diagnosis is the summary conclusion from signs and symptoms that a patient presents, plus the results of physical examination and laboratory investigation. ‘Clinical diagnosis is, at whatever stage of the diagnosis-oriented process of fact-finding, the corresponding  perception of a person’s current (or past) state of health. In these terms, diagnosis of a particular illness is a perception of its presence/absence first and foremost: and if clearly perceived to be present,  more detailed diagnosis is a perception of particulars of that case of the illness (at the time).’(1) Diagnoses can stay on a symptom level (e.g. fatigue) or reach the highest level where the patho-anatomical/physiological cause(s) and treatment are implicitly included (e.g. Hashimoto’s hypo-thyroidism). The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) is the WONCA acknowledged and worldwide used summary of practically all diagnoses prevalent in primary care.(2-5)  Diagnoses are mostly needed to make treatment or management choices in clinical practice. read more