E/M 2023: Focus on practitioner preference, end users when you update E/M templates

Why This Topic Matters

Template updates can affect documentation efficiency, clarity, and how well visit notes serve billing, care coordination, and patient communication needs. The article helps readers understand the broad issues to consider before making EHR changes.

Article Sections

1. Template review ahead of the next E/M changes

   Introduces the need to revisit EHR templates in preparation for upcoming evaluation and management updates. It frames the discussion around collaboration between clinicians and coding staff.

2. Practitioner preferences and note use

   Discusses how individual clinicians think about their documentation style and what information they find useful in their notes. It addresses the role of personal workflow in template design.

3. Who uses the medical record

   Explains that visit notes serve multiple audiences beyond billing, including other clinicians, future review, and patient-facing access. It emphasizes considering different end users when revising documentation.

4. Storing and carrying forward data

   Covers broader planning for where information belongs in the record and the need to manage reused content carefully. It also touches on the impact of outdated or irrelevant information in visit documentation.