Best practice is to review medical history both via the chart AND with the patient. You would not believe how many people wait until they've been seeing their provider for years before dropping bombshells like "yeah, I had *major medical event* just before I started seeing you." Or "I had *major medical event* right before my last appointment here, I didn't think it mattered enough to mention" meanwhile they had quadruple bypass surgery or total hip reconstruction or a stroke.