When booking an appointment, you can use SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine — Clinical Terms) to record the patient's reason for visit using standardised clinical codes. This helps clinicians prepare for the consultation and supports clinical audit.
Use the SNOMED search whenever the patient describes a recognisable symptom or condition:
| Patient Says |
SNOMED Term |
| "I've been feeling wheezy" |
Asthma |
| "I'm really thirsty all the time" |
Type 2 Diabetes mellitus |
| "I've got a bad headache" |
Essential hypertension (if known) / Headache |
| "I feel constantly worried" |
Anxiety disorder |
| "I've got pain in my chest" |
Chest pain |
| "I'm feeling hot and shivery" |
Fever |
| "My throat hurts" |
Sore throat |
| "I feel sick" |
Nausea |
| "I'm always tired" |
Fatigue |
| "I keep coughing" |
Cough |
If the symptom is not available in the search, simply type the patient's description in the Reason field as free text.
The SNOMED search is available to receptionists when booking an appointment:
- Start typing in the SNOMED CT search field
- Matching clinical terms appear as you type
- Select the most appropriate term
- The Reason field is auto-populated with:
"Patient presenting with {selected term}"
- The SNOMED code and display name are saved with the appointment
When you record a SNOMED-coded reason:
- The clinician sees the coded reason when they open the appointment
- The standardised code supports clinical audit and reporting
- The full detailed reason (free-text entry) is visible only to clinicians and the Registered Manager
Use the free-text Reason field when:
- The patient's symptom is not available in the SNOMED search
- The patient describes multiple vague symptoms
- The patient prefers not to disclose the reason in detail (enter a brief note instead)
- You need to record additional context (e.g. "Patient requesting a specific test result discussion")
- Ask the patient what the appointment is for in a private, confidential manner
- Record the patient's own words where possible — avoid medical jargon unless the patient uses it
- If the patient is booking on behalf of someone else (e.g. a parent for a child), record both the reporter and the patient
- For urgent symptoms (chest pain, difficulty breathing, etc.), flag the appointment and notify a clinician immediately
- If unsure about the correct SNOMED term, use free text rather than selecting an incorrect code