During a physical examination, there are many things that your healthcare provider may be looking for as they are gathering cues and clues, during the short time you are in the office. Some of the clues are based on the spoken information that you provide, or they may be based on physical examination findings.
Diagnosis often includes laboratory studies, radiology studies to look at certain organs, and the physical exam itself. This process is called data collection. Before modern technology, it was important for healthcare providers to perfect their physical examination techniques, because x-ray machines, scanners, and echocardiograms were non-existent.