Importance of Health History in Diagnosis of an Acute Illness

The following Case Challenge presents the clinical course of a febrile infant who presented with her parents to the emergency department in an acute care hospital. The febrile infant requires prompt evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. Key components of a patient’s health history, including social and environmental exposures, can help clinicians in formulating and prioritizing diagnoses. This Case Challenge demonstrates a clinical scenario in which the health history aids the medical team in initiating empiric treatment. The case also demonstrates that multidisciplinary care is essential to improving short- and long-term outcomes for patients with acute illnesses. •A patient’s health history is a key factor in timely and accurate diagnosis of acute illness and leads to improved outcomes.•A thorough social and environmental health history can be just as informative as the physical examination and clinical diagnostics in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of illness.•Prompt antibiotic initiation is important when treating neonatal meningococcal septicemia.•Multidisciplinary care is important when caring for patients at high risk for sequela.