What is HOPC?
HOPC stands for History of Presenting Complaint. It’s a clinical note structure commonly used in Australian general practice and supported across New Zealand. HOPC is particularly familiar to clinicians working in Medtech, Best Practice, or systems that favour narrative or free-text documentation with a structured clinical approach.
📝 What is HOPC?
HOPC stands for History of Presenting Complaint. It’s a clinical note structure commonly used in Australian general practice and supported across New Zealand. HOPC is particularly familiar to clinicians working in Medtech, Best Practice, or systems that favour narrative or free-text documentation with a structured clinical approach.
Unlike SOAP, which follows a diagnostic framework, HOPC is oriented around the story of the patient’s problem, making it suitable for first presentations, complex histories, or referral documentation.
✏️ Structure
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| History of Presenting Complaint | The detailed history of the issue that brought the patient in — including onset, duration, and key contextual factors. |
| Past Medical History | Summary of relevant chronic or previous conditions. |
| Physical Examination Findings | Key observations and exam results gathered during the consultation. |
| Impression (Diagnosis) | The clinician’s assessment of the likely cause or condition. |
| Management Plan | Proposed actions, treatments, referrals, or follow-up. |
🏥 When is it used?
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First consults or new presentations
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Referral preparation
-
Specialist correspondence
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Extended appointments with complex or multi-system symptoms
👥 Who uses it?
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General Practitioners: in initial visits or where detailed narrative is preferred
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Registrars: often trained using HOPC during GP training programs
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Clinics using Medtech Evolution, Best Practice, or Genie in Australia
🌍 Where is it available?
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Australia (common in GP software and clinical training)
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New Zealand (supported as an alternative to SOAP)
🔄 Key Differences from SOAP
While both SOAP and HOPC provide a logical structure, the key distinction is that HOPC builds from the narrative forward, often leading naturally into diagnosis and plan, whereas SOAP starts with categorised data capture (subjective and objective) before forming a conclusion.