Patient problem data structure and processing system

A patient problem data system stores data representing a plurality of different patient problems for use in providing healthcare to a patient. An acquisition processor acquires data representing a patient problem for storage in a repository. A repository, electrically coupled to the acquisition processor, includes data representing a plurality of different patient problems; an individual patient problem has a patient problem name and is characterized by patient problem attributes; an individual patient problem has a plurality of attribute properties determining how a patient problem attribute is represented. Patient problem attributes include a focus term indicating a topic of a patient problem, a patient problem likelihood term indicating an assessment of likelihood of the associated corresponding patient problem, and a client term indicating at least one target person for care. The attribute properties include a format attribute property indicating a format constraint of a patient problem attribute and a content attribute property indicating a content constraint of a patient problem attribute. A retrieval processor, electrically coupled to the repository, retrieves data representing at least one patient problem from the repository.