A list of epic dot phrases can make documentation faster, reduce errors, and enhance consistency. This helps healthcare providers spend less time on paperwork and more time with their patients. As both healthcare professionals and patients know, electronic health records (EHRs) have revolutionized medical documentation.
EHRs transitioned medical records from stacks of papers to digital platforms, improving efficiency and organization. But like any new system, navigating an EHR takes time.
Fortunately, some EHR platforms offer features like dot phrases, also called SmartPhrases. This post takes a look at list of epic dot phrases and how they can make your job easier.
EHR systems often include a large library of pre-built dot phrases. They cover a wide range of specialties, common diagnoses, and frequently used text blocks, so you are likely to find options that suit your needs.
But that's not all. You can personalize your list of epic dot phrases too.
Why Create Your Own Epic Dot Phrases?
It may seem easier to just use the standard list of epic dot phrases that come pre-loaded. But imagine instantly pulling up frequently used phrases, sections for your SOAP notes, or even entire templates with a few keystrokes. That level of customization can save you valuable time.
For example, if you often see patients with diabetes, instead of typing out the same advice about blood glucose monitoring at every appointment, you could create a ".diabetesadvice" dot phrase.
Think about all the common diagnoses you treat. What are the things you say, prescribe, or recommend again and again? These are all great options to streamline using your own list of epic dot phrases.
Examples of Customized Dot Phrases for Various Specialties:
While this list only offers a few, the possibilities for your list of epic dot phrases are almost endless. You can include details about a patient's sleep hygiene, any necessary return precautions, or even quick summaries for family history.
Customizing your list of epic dot phrases is really only limited by your daily workflows and how you practice medicine. Consider specialties like family medicine or even subspecialties where pre-created dot phrases may not be as helpful. In those cases, your personalized list of epic dot phrases may mean even greater efficiency and accuracy.
Getting Started With Your List of Epic Dot Phrases
Once you start brainstorming ways to customize your list of epic dot phrases, you’ll start to think about your typical patient encounters in whole new ways. But let’s look at some commonly used options:
Past Medical, Surgical, Family and Social Histories (PMH/PSH/FH/SH):
When gathering patient history, your list of epic dot phrases can save a lot of time, especially if your charting is very detailed. For patients with a history of cardiovascular disease (h/o cardiovascular ds), for instance, you can create phrases that allow you to quickly document key aspects of their condition.
- .FH: - to pull up options like mother with hypertension, father with CAD s/p CABG.
- .SH: - options like lives with family, history of smoking.
Physical Exams:
You likely will find lots of pre-built templates in your EHR. But once you’ve worked with the pre-set list of epic dot phrases for exams, you can modify or add options of your own, based on the level of detail your assessments typically require. If you frequently assess a patient's gait or need to note the presence of things like skin atrophy, having a dedicated dot phrase can be immensely helpful.
Assessment and Plan:
Use epic dot phrases to organize treatment plans, follow-up instructions, and medication details. This structured approach speeds up documentation while allowing customization for each patient. It helps capture verbal instructions and important details patients might forget.
This also makes handing off a patient easier if you have a standard practice since colleagues will become accustomed to where to look for specific details from a recent encounter. You can use dot phrases to record details about a patient's weight loss or weight gain, any pain control measures discussed, and even note if a referral to support groups might be beneficial.
Many providers underutilize epic dot phrases in their EHR when starting out. Begin by identifying repetitive tasks, diagnoses, and templates, then gradually create shortcuts for these. This incremental approach will streamline your workflow over time.
How Magical Helps Healthcare Admin Teams
Magical is an automation and productivity tool that helps teams boost their productivity by eliminating repetitive tasks like EHR data entry and revenue cycle management activities. You can also store Epic dot phrases in Magical so you can call them up with one click and share it with your whole team.
FAQs About list of epic dot phrases
How to find a list of dot phrases in Epic?
Each healthcare organization customizes its Epic EHR system, including how dot phrases are stored. In most instances, the phrases will be organized based on specialty. While it may seem easiest to find phrases other clinicians have already built and shared, the best list of epic dot phrases should reflect how you communicate with patients and capture patient details.
Think about the specific challenges you encounter in your practice. If you commonly administer steroid injections or provide guidance on topics like mindfulness meditation, tailoring your dot phrases accordingly can significantly streamline your workflow.
What are Epic smart phrases?
SmartPhrases in Epic are basically the same things as dot phrases - shortcuts used to input text and make documenting within the platform faster. If you regularly provide the Influenza vaccine or address concerns related to otitis media, for instance, having dedicated SmartPhrases can expedite these routine entries.
How do you find other people's smart phrases on Epic?
How SmartPhrases are stored in Epic can vary by healthcare system. They are frequently found organized by specialty or clinical department. Consider using existing phrases as inspiration and building upon those shortcuts further to customize a more robust list of epic dot phrases for your everyday use.
If a colleague has effectively implemented phrases for documenting the results of a depression screen or for noting the details of a woman exam, exploring their approach can provide valuable insights.
What are smart phrases for nurse practitioners?
SmartPhrases will vary depending on specialty but the benefit of them remains - they can help improve charting accuracy, speed up documentation time, and encourage consistency across multiple areas such as PMH/PSH, and assessment and plan sections. Whether it's noting the use of a gauge needle or providing information about a Pneumonia vaccine, these shortcuts can significantly enhance a nurse practitioner's documentation process.
Magical Helps Healthcare Admin Teams Stay Productive
A comprehensive list of epic dot phrases is invaluable. Whether you use an existing list or build your own, taking advantage of this feature is a total game-changer when it comes to EHR efficiency.
Magical is currently used at more than 50,000 companies like Optum, Dignity Health, and Zoomcare to save 7 hours a week on average on their repetitive tasks. Try it for your team today!
