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Writing skills Clinical Documentation Open source. macOS, Windows and Linux.
At a glance
What it is
Write effective clinical notes, understand coding basics, ensure compliance, and improve documentation efficiency for healthcare professionals.
A skill is a written procedure a bot loads when a job calls for it. This one is a single file, SKILL.md, and the whole file is on this page.
Length 338 lines2,414 words, about 11 min read
Category Writingtechnical writing
Level Intermediate Give your first job to Murage. Download the app, connect the AI you already pay for, and tell your Chief of Staff what needs doing. Plan on about ten minutes from install to a working team.
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Open source license
Skill Guard healthcare writing checklist template testing planning Paste it into your agent's instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or a custom GPT), or add it to a bot in Murage.
Intermediate
When to Use User asks about clinical documentation techniques or best practices
User needs guidance on clinical documentation concepts
User wants to implement or improve their approach to clinical documentation
The request falls outside the scope of clinical documentation
User needs a different specialized skill for their specific situation
The topic requires professional consultation beyond general guidance
Questions to Ask First Before advising on documentation:
What is your clinical role (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse, therapist)?
What type of setting (hospital inpatient, outpatient clinic, emergency department, home health, long-term care)?
What electronic health record (EHR) system do you use?
What specific documentation challenge are you facing (efficiency, compliance, completeness, coding)?
What specialty or patient population do you primarily serve?
Are there specific payer requirements or audit findings you need to address?
What documentation training have you previously received?
Clinical Note Frameworks
SOAP Note Structure The most widely used format for outpatient and primary care documentation.
Section Content Tips S - Subjective Patient's reported symptoms, concerns, history of present illness in their own words Include relevant quotes, onset, duration, severity, alleviating/aggravating factors O - Objective Measurable findings: vitals, physical exam, lab results, imaging Document what you observed, measured, or reviewed; be specific A - Assessment Clinical interpretation, diagnoses, differential diagnoses List diagnoses in order of clinical significance; note status (new, chronic, worsening, stable) P - Plan Treatment plan, medications, orders, follow-up, patient education Be specific: what, when, why; document shared decision-making
SOAP Note Quality Checklist
☐ To do: Chief complaint is clearly stated
☐ To do: HPI includes relevant elements (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/alleviating factors, severity, timing)
☐ To do: Review of systems is documented appropriately for the visit type
☐ To do: Physical exam findings are specific (not just "normal" or "unremarkable" without detail)
☐ To do: Assessment connects to the subjective and objective data
☐ To do: Plan addresses each active problem
☐ To do: Patient education and understanding are documented
☐ To do: Follow-up plan is specified
DAP Note Structure Common in behavioral health, counseling, and therapy settings.
Section Content D - Data Objective observations of the patient during the session (appearance, behavior, affect, speech, content of session) A - Assessment Clinical interpretation of the data, progress toward treatment goals, therapeutic interventions used P - Plan Next steps, homework assignments, frequency of sessions, referrals, safety planning if needed
Inpatient Note Types Note Type When Written Key Components Admission (H&P) Within 24 hours of admission Complete history, physical exam, assessment, plan Progress note Daily (at minimum) Interval changes, updated assessment and plan Procedure note Immediately after procedure Indication, consent, technique, findings, complications, plan Consultation note When requested by another provider Reason for consult, findings, recommendations Discharge summary At discharge Hospital course, discharge diagnoses, medications, follow-up, pending results Transfer note When transferring care Current status, active problems, pending items
Discharge Summary Essential Elements ☐ To do: Admission date and discharge date
☐ To do: Admitting diagnoses and discharge diagnoses
☐ To do: Summary of hospital course (key events, procedures, consultations)
☐ To do: Discharge medications with changes from admission clearly noted
☐ To do: Follow-up appointments and pending test results
☐ To do: Discharge condition and functional status
☐ To do: Patient/family education provided
☐ To do: Code status and advance directive information (if applicable)
☐ To do: Contact information for questions after discharge
Documentation Best Practices
Accuracy and Completeness Document in real-time when possible; the longer you wait, the less accurate your recall
Be specific : "2 cm laceration on the left forearm" not "cut on arm"
Use objective language : Document what you observed, not interpretations disguised as observations
Avoid vague modifiers : "some," "moderate," and "slightly" are imprecise; use measurable terms
Document pertinent negatives : What you looked for and did not find is clinically important
Attribute subjective statements : "Patient reports..." or "Per family member..." not "Patient has..."
Correct errors properly : Use your EHR's correction process; never delete or alter previous entries
What to Document and What to Avoid Do Document Avoid Clinical observations with specifics Subjective judgments about patient character Patient's own words (in quotes when relevant) Speculation about motives or truthfulness Clinical reasoning for decisions Defensive or argumentative language Patient education provided and response Copy-paste from prior notes without review and update Shared decision-making discussions Abbreviations that could be misinterpreted Informed consent conversations Criticism of other providers Deviations from standard protocols (with rationale) Information unrelated to clinical care Follow-up plan and contingencies Promises about outcomes
Copy-Forward and Template Risks Using templates and copying from prior notes creates efficiency but introduces risk:
Review every copied element and update it for the current encounter
Delete template text that does not apply
Ensure exam findings reflect what you actually examined today
Update medications, allergies, and problem lists with each encounter
Audit your notes periodically for carried-forward errors
Red Flags in Documentation Audits
Identical notes across multiple dates of service
Physical exam findings that are impossibly consistent over time
Documentation of services not supported by time or complexity
Diagnoses present in the note but not addressed in the plan
Template text that was not customized for the encounter
Coding Fundamentals
Understanding the Relationship Between Documentation and Coding Documentation drives coding, and coding drives reimbursement and data quality. Poor documentation leads to:
Denied claims and lost revenue
Inaccurate quality metrics
Audit risk and compliance concerns
Incomplete clinical picture for future providers
Common Coding Systems Overview System Purpose Example ICD-10-CM Diagnosis coding E11.9 (Type 2 diabetes without complications) CPT Procedure and service coding 99213 (Established patient office visit, moderate complexity) HCPCS Supplies, equipment, services not in CPT J1040 (Methylprednisolone injection) ICD-10-PCS Inpatient procedure coding Used by hospital coders
Documentation Tips for Accurate Coding Document the highest level of specificity supported by clinical evidence
Specify laterality (left, right, bilateral)
Specify type (Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes)
Specify status (acute, chronic, recurrent, resolved)
Specify complications and manifestations
Link conditions when one causes another ("diabetic nephropathy" not just "diabetes" and "kidney disease" listed separately)
E/M Level Documentation (Office/Outpatient)
Under current guidelines, E/M level for office visits is based on either:
Medical Decision Making (MDM) : Number and complexity of problems, data reviewed, and risk of complications
Total Time : All time spent on the encounter on the date of service
Element What to Document Number and complexity of problems List all problems addressed; note if new, chronic stable, chronic worsening, or acute Amount and complexity of data Tests ordered and reviewed, records reviewed, independent interpretation, discussion with external providers Risk of complications Prescription drug management, decisions about surgery, decisions about hospitalization
Common Documentation-Coding Gaps Gap Impact Fix Listing symptoms instead of diagnoses Lower specificity, potential undercoding Document the diagnosis when clinically established Missing "acute" or "chronic" designation Incorrect code selection Specify the nature of each condition Not documenting time Cannot support time-based billing Record total time and activities performed Failing to link conditions Missed complication codes State the causal relationship explicitly Incomplete procedure documentation Denied claims Include indication, technique, findings, and plan
Compliance Essentials
Documentation Compliance Principles Document what you did : If it is not documented, it was not done (from a legal and billing perspective)
Document when you did it : Timely documentation supports accuracy
Document why you did it : Clinical reasoning protects you in audits and litigation
Be truthful : Never document services not rendered or exaggerate findings
Authenticate properly : Sign and date all entries; ensure authorship is clear
Amend correctly : Use addenda for additional information; use the correction process for errors
Audit Preparedness ☐ To do: Every diagnosis in the assessment has supporting documentation in the subjective and objective
☐ To do: The plan addresses every diagnosis in the assessment
☐ To do: Time documentation (if used for billing) includes total time and activities
☐ To do: Exam documentation reflects what was actually performed
☐ To do: Medications are accurately listed with dose, route, and frequency
☐ To do: Patient identity is correct on every page/screen
☐ To do: The note is signed and dated
☐ To do: The note supports the level of service billed
Common Audit Triggers Consistently billing the same E/M level for all patients
Billing patterns that differ significantly from peers in the same specialty
High volume of modifier usage
Frequent upcoding complaints from payers
Documentation that appears templated without individualization
Efficiency Strategies
Documentation Workflow Optimization Strategy How It Helps Pre-visit chart review Identify key issues before the encounter so documentation is focused Structured templates Speed up documentation while ensuring completeness (customize for each visit) Voice recognition Dictate notes faster than typing; review and edit carefully Smart phrases/shortcuts Store frequently used text blocks; customize per encounter Scribe support A trained scribe documents while you focus on the patient Team documentation Nursing and support staff document vitals, intake, and patient-reported data End-of-day batching If real-time is not possible, batch documentation at the end of each day (do not carry over to the next day) Focused exam documentation Document only what is clinically relevant; more detail is not always better
Reducing Documentation Burden Advocate for EHR improvements through your institution's committees
Use pre-populated fields for repetitive data (allergies, medications, history)
Delegate appropriate documentation tasks to support staff
Reduce unnecessary copy-forward by building focused templates
Set time limits for documentation: if a note takes longer than the encounter, evaluate your process
Participate in documentation improvement initiatives at your institution
Specialty-Specific Considerations
Behavioral Health Documentation Document patient safety assessment (suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, self-harm) at every encounter
Include treatment goals and measurable progress toward them
Document informed consent for treatment
Note the therapeutic modality used (CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, etc.)
Track medication management separately from therapy notes if applicable
Maintain appropriate confidentiality protections for psychotherapy notes
Surgical/Procedural Documentation Informed consent documentation (risks, benefits, alternatives discussed)
Pre-procedure verification (correct patient, correct site, correct procedure)
Operative/procedure note: indication, anesthesia type, technique, findings, specimens, estimated blood loss, complications, disposition
Post-procedure orders and monitoring plan
Follow-up plan and wound care instructions
Emergency Department Documentation Triage documentation with acuity level
Medical screening exam documentation
Time-stamped reassessments
Disposition decision-making and reasoning
Discharge instructions with return precautions
Communication with primary care or specialist (if applicable)
Medical decision-making documentation that supports the complexity of the encounter
Process Gather information. Ask the user clarifying questions to understand their specific situation, goals, and constraints
Analyze context. Review the information provided and identify key factors relevant to clinical documentation
Develop recommendations. Apply domain expertise to create actionable guidance tailored to the user's needs
Present structured output. Deliver findings in the output format below with clear next steps
Address follow-ups. Answer additional questions and refine recommendations based on feedback
template ## Clinical Documentation Analysis
### Assessment
[Key findings and observations]
### Recommendations
1. [Primary recommendation]
2. [Secondary recommendation]
3. [Additional suggestions]
### Action Items
- [ ] [First action step]
- [ ] [Second action step]
- [ ] [Follow-up task]
Edge Cases Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding with recommendations
Conflicting requirements: Prioritize the most critical constraint and note trade-offs
Out of scope requests: Redirect to appropriate specialized skill or professional resource
Beginner vs advanced: Adjust depth and terminology based on user's experience level
Example Input: "Help me with clinical documentation for my current situation"
Based on your situation, here is a structured approach to clinical documentation:
Assessment: Evaluate your current state and identify key areas for improvement
Strategy: Develop a targeted plan based on best practices
Implementation: Execute the plan with specific, measurable steps
Review: Monitor progress and adjust as needed
SKILL.md
338 lines · 2,414 words
The text of SKILL.md is shown as it downloads, under the Apache-2.0 license, by Ferrox Labs. The license is the one in the file's own frontmatter.
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