What Does Charting Efficiency Mean To You?

Many physicians are experiencing it. The burden of charting – completing the patient documentation after hours, often at night and in the weekends. It is more common than you think to have more than one hundred incomplete charts. If you are in a similar situation, you are not alone.

Imagine that you are a physician who finishes all the patient charts by the end of every clinical day. Would you like this to be your reality? What does it mean to you to be all caught up in charting?

Freedom. When you are finishing your patient notes at a decent hour every day, you are not chained by those charts. You have your nights and weekends back. You are not operating with the burden of dragging the unfinished charts to wherever you go, piling on more charts as more days go by.

The priceless thing you gain back – time. The extra time you spend outside of your regular work hours to do charts is the time you will not get back, not to mention that those charting hours are the hours you are working for free. Maybe it is not so “priceless” after all. If your hourly rate is $200 per hour, gaining back five hours a week is $1000 you did not throw away. Of course, the most precious thing is the time itself. When you have extra time, you can decide what to do with it.

This means that you get to have more control. More control with what to do. You get to decide what to do in your spare time. You can spend more time with your family. You can develop your hobby. You can work on your business and make your outpatient clinic flow even more efficiently. You can spend time to hire a great team. You can spend more time in marketing your practice if you are a private practice owner.

When you are leaving work on time with your charts done, you get to live life and be more present. You get to appreciate life more. You get to pay attention to the little details in life.

You are setting an example of what is possible. I still remember not too long ago, I was charting most nights and weekends. When I was told that it was possible to leave work on time with the charts done, it was at best a dream – a dream that I dd not think was possible for me to achieve. Now, as I am leaving work by 5 pm, I appreciate how far I have come. The extra hours I gained back to do other things - priceless. I also gained back my sanity. Prior to achieving this, I spent close to ten years going through the motions of many charting hours, feeling disgusted and frustrated that I had to do extra hours of work. Charting efficiency to me means gaining back my sanity and my life. It means more gratitude and joy.

It is possible for you too! Imagine that you are consistently leaving work within an hour of seeing your last patient. How does that feel? Would you like that to be your new normal?

If you are a physician who is behind in charting, admit it. There is no shame about having open charts. The only shame is present only if you allow it. Acknowledge your situation. Have the courage to face the facts. Have the capacity to face the fears, such as the fear of judgment, the fear of rejection. Always remember to ask for help. No matter what you do and what situation you are in, there is always someone who is at least slightly further along in their journey. Talk to your colleague. Pick the brain of your mentor. Find a coach. If you have not achieved your goal, ask someone to help you. This will allow you to accomplish your goal much faster than you try to figure out on your own.