How to create custom treatment notes
Creating a custom SOAP note (treatment note) template is a very rewarding experience. This is because you can tailor the look and feel of your note EXACTLY as you desire. This is done by use of our controls (e.g. tables, text boxes, SOAP Macros, adjustment strip, radio buttons, check boxes, etc.).
In addition, you may use our rows and columns feature to position the content of your note exactly as desired. In the end, you will have a SOAP note looking exactly as you want.
Here is a video showing you how to create custom SOAP note (treatment note) templates.
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Watch Training Video - Second Version
ChiroSpring treatment note templates have been created for speed, efficiency, compliance, and should be utilized as the preferred option for provider charting the vast majority of the time. If your office would like to create a custom-built template of your own, we also have Custom Templates available to create your own unique template as well to add to your repertoire of note options.
To create customized forms for the provider (treatment notes/templates) and for the patient (Patient App, Patient Kiosk, Patient Webforms), the clinic user should start by opening their left menu and go to Settings > Custom Templates > Build Templates.
Next you'll be prompted to choose which type of form you would like to build:
Each form option includes the same builder technologies, and you may utilize templates to start with for each type of note/form.
Next, name the template and choose the category for the template. This will impact where you can locate your custom template in your Treatment Notes page in the Setup menu. The Treatment Note order box allows you to enter a numeric indicator for the ordering of your template in relation to other active templates on the Treatment Dashboard when you navigate to a patient file.
Next, choose your custom template starting point. You can start from scratch, choose to start from an existing template option from our list of predefined templates, or you can choose to start from an existing custom template you have already created.
The final step is to Build. The template builder has a list of programmed options that will assist you in creating a variety of inputs to your form including:
1. Textbox (Label with text input)
2. Memo field (Label with text, emoji, and image inputs allowed)
3. Checkbox (Label with check box and sublevel checkbox/label)
Note: Checkbox labels should be descriptive at each level to display best in the note output (i.e. if doing Checkboxes for Pain areas, label could read "Shoulder Pain, and the sublevel check boxes should could read "Shoulder pain right side, Shoulder pain left side" to read better than just Right and Left.
4. Radio Group - This option allows for only ONE selection when documenting your note. If you desire multiple selections use the check-box option instead.
5. Labels (Field label without additional text input)
6. Paragraph (descriptive content for note template)
7. Date picker (i.e. choosing date for onset date)
8. Time picker (i.e. noting start time of rehab exercises)
9. Adjustment strip
10. Signature box (area for touchscreen signature for patient or provider)
11. Body shape (with symptom icons for placement)
12. Dropdown (Label with picklist of drop-down items to choose an individual selection
13. Percentage slider (Label with horizontal slide bar for indicating 0-100%)
15. Meridians
15. Table - This option allows you to arrange content into a grid. Add as many rows or columns as you want. Then individually add controls to each of these areas.
16. Macro - This option utilizes the SOAP Macros within the software. We have a separate article covering how to create, edit or arrange your SOAP Macros. Once you have Macros created you can add them to your SOAP Template.
For help creating SOAP Macros watch this video.
You can preview your custom form as you're building with the eye icon in the lower right corner of your screen.
Your template will take on different spacing and appearance depending on how many columns you choose for each section. More columns will result in narrower input areas whereas fewer columns will be more spacious with a longer note appearance. Click the Add Template Section to add a new section title and additional columns/inputs for that section.
If you need to adjust the placement of your content in relation to other content on the page, click the icon below the section for Move Column to be able to drop and drop sections on the page to other areas.
Once ready to save, you may either save as a draft to return and finish the form or you can click finish to publish the form for your clinic to immediately use. Once you have forms saved, you can clone them from your Clinic Settings > Custom Templates > Templates list to create additional custom forms with the template builder.