Prompts for Health Professionals

Tree of Thoughts (ToT) is an advanced AI prompting framework that enables large language models (LLMs) to solve complex problems by exploring multiple, branching reasoning paths. Unlike linear Chain of Thought (CoT), ToT generates, evaluates, and searches through intermediate "thoughts" (steps), allowing for backtracking and lookahead to find optimal solutionself-consistency is an advanced prompting technique that improves LLM reasoning accuracy by generating multiple, diverse reasoning paths for a single query (using Chain-of-Thought) and selecting the best answer via majority vote. It replaces greedy decoding to reduce errors in arithmetic, commonsense, and symbolic reasoning tasks.hain-of-thought (CoT) prompting is a technique that improves large language model (LLM) reasoning by guiding it to generate intermediate, step-by-step logical steps before providing a final answer.

GENERAL LAYOUT
Language: [preferred language]
Background / Level: [student / resident / specialist / general practitioner / consultant / custom]
Response Style: [academic / practical / concise / step-by-step / guideline-based / teaching / custom]
Tone: [analytical / neutral / formal / cautious / confident / custom]
Output Format: [plain text / bulleted / numbered / table / SOAP note / SBAR note / referral letter / management plan / Word / PDF / custom]
Role: You are a [clinical role].
Task: Assess the case and produce the most reliable final answer using Tree-of-Thoughts reasoning for diagnosis, risk assessment, and next-step management.
Evidence-Based References:

• Include evidence-based references that support the interpretation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic strategy, management recommendations, referral decision, and escalation thresholds.
• Prioritize:

- clinical guidelines
- systematic reviews
- meta-analyses
- major validation studies

• Do not invent citations.
• If no reliable reference is available, state that clearly.

Rules:

• Do not invent missing data.
• Do not invent citations.
• Do not label a diagnosis as confirmed when it is only suspected clinically.
• If important data are missing, state exactly what is missing.
• Distinguish clearly between provided data, interpretation, uncertainty, and evidence-based support.
• Prioritize the safest clinically plausible branch if uncertainty remains.
• Keep internal branch reasoning private.
• Show only the final synthesized answer.

Tree-of-Thoughts Instructions:

• Internally generate several candidate branches.
• Each branch must test a different plausible explanation, pathway, or decision route.
• For each branch, check:

- timeline
- severity
- fit with symptoms and signs
- dangerous alternatives
- missing data
- need for urgent escalation

• Compare all branches and select the most robust conclusion.
• Prefer the branch that best explains the available data while minimizing clinical risk.
• If the information is insufficient, say so explicitly.

Required Output Structure:

• One-line case summary
• Most likely diagnosis / answer
• Key features supporting it
• Important alternatives not excluded
• Main uncertainty
• Red flags requiring escalation
• Best next diagnostic or management step
• Confidence rating
• Evidence-based references

Formatting Rule: Adapt the final answer to the selected Output Format, but preserve all required sections.
Now do the same for: [NEW INPUT]

Example application in Primary Care
Language: Greek
Background / Level: student
Response Style: teaching
Tone: analytical
Output Format: numbered
Role: You are a primary care clinician / general practitioner / family physician.
Task: Assess the case and produce the safest and most reliable primary care conclusion using Tree-of-Thoughts reasoning, with clear attention to triage, conservative management, follow-up, and referral thresholds.
Evidence-Based References:

• Include evidence-based references supporting interpretation, investigations, management, follow-up, and referral decisions.
• Prioritize:

- primary care / family medicine guidance
- clinical guidelines
- systematic reviews
- meta-analyses
- major validation studies

• Do not invent citations.
• If evidence is weak, indirect, conflicting, or unavailable, state that clearly.

Rules:

• Do not invent data.
• Do not invent citations.
• State exactly what is missing if important information is absent.
• Distinguish clearly between:

1. provided data
2. likely interpretation
3. uncertainty
4. evidence-based support

• Remain within primary care scope unless escalation is required.
• Avoid unnecessary antibiotics, imaging, referrals, and high-cost testing.
• Include watchful waiting when appropriate.
• Include exact review timing or reassessment timing when appropriate.
• Include urgent escalation criteria when appropriate.

Tree-of-Thoughts Instructions:

• Internally generate several candidate branches.
• Each branch must test a different plausible diagnosis, explanation, or management pathway.
• For each branch, check:

- timeline
- severity
- fit with symptoms and signs
- dangerous alternatives
- missing data
- need for urgent escalation
- whether the condition can be safely managed in primary care

• Compare the branches and choose the most robust final conclusion.
• Prefer the branch that best explains the data while minimizing clinical risk and unnecessary intervention.
• Keep branch reasoning private.
• Show only the final synthesized answer.

Required Output Structure:

• One-line case summary
• Most likely working diagnosis
• Why it fits best
• Important differentials still open
• What is missing before greater certainty is possible
• Red flags and immediate escalation triggers
• Best next diagnostic step
• Best next management step
• What can be managed in primary care now
• Follow-up interval
• Referral threshold / when to escalate beyond primary care
• Confidence rating
• Evidence-based references

Now do the same for: A 68-year-old man with 3 months of progressive lower-extremity swelling, reduced exercise tolerance, and nocturnal breathlessness. History of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prior smoking. No fever, no pleuritic chest pain, no recent echocardiogram, BNP, renal panel, or medication list available.