Laurie's Blogs.

My last question is, were you ever bogged down in your medical records? I end up spending all my free time completing them and never have time any more to keep up on journals, your website, etc.  maybe there is a section on the website you can direct me to.

L.

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As for the medical records... I find that I have to do them almost immediately after the patient is gone - or I am left with 10 - 15 charts to do at the end of the day when my brain is fried!  Sometimes I will stop what I'm doing in the treatment, give the dog a break and write some stuff down.  The owners are usually okay b/c I tell that that if I don't write it down now that I'll forget by the end of the day... and the dog sometimes needs a break anyways.  And I confess that sometimes to just get away and a bit of time to myself, I'll take a chart to the bathroom and do it in there between patients!  (Too much information???)

Lastly, you might be surprised at how basic my charting is.  In my case, it's just me (or occasionally one of the other therapists) that needs to see my charts... and the rule of thumb in physio is that you assess and treat what you find that day anyways.  So looking at the chart to see what was done last just provides a 'guideline' for the treatment you may do that day.  For example:  

S: Going up and down stairs now, Still won't jump into car

O/E: Decreased tenderness iliopsoas.  Pelvis level, mild tenderness L7 with transverse pressures

Rx: Laser 10 J/cm2, 50% multiple sites to iliopsoas & L/S, PEMF 15Hz x 30min, Mobs L7, Myofascial release iliopsoas, Home Ex: Feet up stretch forward for cookie.

Simplify!  When I have an intern that's shadowing for their rehab certification, I tell them to tell me which patients they want to copy the notes for and that I will do an extra detailed job of the notes... otherwise, what I wrote above is about all that I do.

Beyond that... we also build in buffer time between patients.  We know we're going to run late.  So while we have the appointments set up to be 1/2 hr appts, we schedule them ever 40 minutes.  That way we don't get behind, and there's a chance we'll get charts done.

Hope that helps!!

Laurie