The role of diagnosis

The purpose of diagnosis is to provide clear descriptive categories in order to enable clinicians to identify and communicate about various clinical problems. The importance of clinicians being able to communicate easily about the nature of an individual’s problems and about suitable treatment and prognosis is generally recognised in health care. Thus, one of the main functions of a diagnosis is to provide an indication about the suitable management of the patient and to be able to communicate that in a succinct way.

A diagnosis does not provide information about the unique features of an individual’s problems.

However, this does not argue against the use of diagnosis, only against its improper use. It is

essential to provide additional information about factors which affect an individual’s presentation

and which may exacerbate or affect the problems which he/she has. Diagnosis becomes part of good

clinical management rather than a mechanistic and simplistic tool for clinical management.

Sunil Kumar                                    Jayasudha Kamaraj
Clinical Psychologist                       Counseling Psychologist

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