“If it ain’t written down, it didn’t happen.”
We’ve heard that before. And it’s so true. Good medical documentation is essential because it reflects your clinical thought process. Your notes are crucial for continuing care, ensuring you are compliant with billing, and protecting you in case of a lawsuit. Your notes are the expression of your digital identity as a physician.
When I started using templates many years ago, the most obvious …
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Here are tips you can borrow to write concise notes. While keeping them clear and thorough. And spending less time on EMR documentation.
Don’t write paragraphs. You’re not writing a novel. Think bullet lists. They are easier to read.

Cut on pronouns. This is useful when using templates and dot phrases: You don’t need to replace all pronouns.

Use abbreviations. Medical …
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Why should you be more productive? Because time is money? Not only that. I prefer time is family or time is go-home-sooner.
Being more productive in medicine isn’t working more hours or faster; it means working better.
Take breaks. Doctors rarely take breaks during their workday. Yet most employees do take two 15 minutes breaks each day. Do you feel like 15 minutes is too long? Take at least five minutes per …
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When I work as a doctor, being in the right mindset is crucial to be sharp and focused. But sometimes, concentration is more scattered, and performance is not at its prime. It’s human. But there may be a way to overcome this.
You may have noticed that Rafael Nadal is executing weird and stereotyped moves during each match. He places his hair behind his ear, pinches his nose, …
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Do you feel EMR charting is a burden? Do you struggle to complete your notes on time? If you answered yes to one of those, you’re not alone!
Doctors spend, on average, 16 minutes in their EMR for each outpatient encounter. This represents several hours of your time each week! Writing comprehensive notes is a requirement in our practice for …
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