The metadata includes basic information about the patient's visit, such as the patient’s name, date of birth, date/time of admission, and the name of the admitting hospital and attending physician.

The chief complaint is the reason for the patient’s visit/hospitalization, usually in the patient’s own words. Example: "I'm having some chest discomfort." This chief complaint may, or may not, be translated by the history taker into the corresponding medical terminology, for example, "chest pain."