Templates are only as good as the accuracy of the data. A worthwhile template needs the right balance of information that is repeatable to save time and provide adequate space to enter fresh content.
Last December I noticed that I was being documented week after week in the After Visit Summary (AVS) incorrectly “…a 61 year old female who is here for…” I pointed out the flaw. I learned about the efficiency of the medical template.
Computers are advanced. Seems really silly that the template isn’t automated. Just saying. My diagnosis is now correct. A fix achieved:
Today is August 1, 2026. My birthday. Will the passage of time be six months again before I get my 63? Not that I really want to get older. I just like accurate date data. I want my people to give me special attention. Get it right. Does it really matter? Ok. Not really.
I lie. I don’t know why it matters. However, today is the birthday. Something did change. Whether I’m happy about aging isn’t the thing. I want the full treatment… well if it changes in a timely manner I can give back, “Validation provided for effort.” But in this change, effort doesn’t scale. The change is made or not. There is no partial way to get the task done. Maybe pull up the template and just look one day? Or key in the text and forget to hit save?
Oh well, I can’t think of any example where changing 1 character can have a partial effort.
Fix the template. Don’t take six months. Complete effort desired. First paragraph. Change 2 to 3. Simple.