Guide

Writing your own templates

Your templates are how DirectScribe shapes a rambling dictation into the note you actually want. They are plain text — no code — and take about five minutes to write once you know the two conventions.

Two conventions, that's it

  • ALL-CAPS lines are headings. A line in capital letters, like ASSESSMENT, becomes a section heading the note is organised under. The app and the model both treat these as the fixed skeleton of your note.
  • [Bracketed text] is a placeholder. Square brackets mark where content goes and describe what belongs there, like [history of present illness]. Write the description in plain language — the more specific, the better the fill.

Everything else is literal text that appears in the note as written. That's the whole system.

A worked example: SOAP visit

Here is a complete, usable template:

CHIEF COMPLAINT [reason for the visit, briefly] SUBJECTIVE [history of present illness] [relevant past history, medications, allergies if mentioned] OBJECTIVE [vitals: BLOOD PRESSURE, heart rate, temperature if dictated] [physical exam findings] ASSESSMENT [numbered problem list with clinical impression] PLAN [investigations, treatment, patient instructions, follow-up]

Dictate the visit however it comes out — out of order, with asides — and the model sorts what you said under these headings, filling each placeholder from your words. You review and paste.

Good placeholder habits

  • Describe, don't abbreviate. [history of present illness] guides the model better than [HPI].
  • One idea per placeholder. Split [exam and vitals] into [vitals] and [physical exam findings] for cleaner output.
  • Name specific fields you always want, like [BLOOD PRESSURE], so they are never dropped.
  • Keep headings stable. Consistent ALL-CAPS headings make your notes predictable and easy to skim in the EMR.
  • Shorter is better. A tight template outperforms a sprawling one. Make one template per note type rather than one giant template.

More patterns

Periodic health exam

PERIODIC HEALTH EXAM [screening topics discussed] [immunisations reviewed or updated] [lifestyle counselling] EXAM [vitals: BLOOD PRESSURE, BMI] [system-based exam findings] PLAN [screening ordered] [follow-up interval]

Referral letter

RE: [patient identifier — you fill this in the EMR, not by dictation] REASON FOR REFERRAL [the clinical question for the consultant] RELEVANT HISTORY [focused history and findings] CURRENT MEDICATIONS [medication list] REQUESTED [what you are asking the consultant to do]

How the app uses template names

You pick a template by name, and DirectScribe matches it exactly or fuzzily. If a dictation mentions a note type you have no template for, the app still saves your note — it will not silently invent and store a new template. Your template library stays exactly what you authored.

Test before clinic. Write a template, dictate a made-up sample case, and read the output. Adjust the placeholders until it lands the way you like — then it will behave the same on a real visit.

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