Stop Saying “Yes”

Once upon a time, doctors wrote short notes about their patients so they would remember what they’d been thinking about when the patient was last seen. They’d write down the symptoms, the physical exam, and the diagnosis and treatment plan. Enough so they or one of...

Take A Breath

Once when I was a resident, I rotated with a brilliant specialist for a month. He was funny, didn’t suffer fools gladly, and he was very good to his patients. One day we walked briskly to the door of one of his exam rooms. He pulled the patient chart from the holder...

The Visit Includes The Charting

I had a colleague once, when I was working at a residency, who gave what I thought was great advice to the residents with regard to the EMR: “Write a crappy note now, or a crappier note later.” Now, I know this is not what you want to hear, but truthfully, is your...