Modeling problem-oriented clinical notes.

OBJECTIVES To develop a model as a starting-point for developing a problem-oriented clinical notes application as a generic component of an Electronic Health Record (EHR). METHODS We used the generic conceptualization of Weed's problem-oriented medical record (POMR) to link progress notes to problems, and the Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan (SOAP) headings to classify elements of these notes. Health Level 7 (HL7) Version 3 and Unified Modeling Language (UML) were used for modeling. We looked especially at the role of Conditions and Concerns, and how to model these to document clinical reasoning. RESULTS We developed a generic HL7-based model for progress notes. In this model the specific clinical note has a condition as its reason. An assertion can be made about a condition. Any condition, observation or procedure can be a concern that has to be tracked. Utmost important is the relationship between constituting parts of a progress note and specially between progress notes by linking a progress note to conditions that are part of an earlier progress note. From this model a comprehensive hierarchical condition tree can be built. Several views, such as chronological, SOAP and condition-oriented, are possible. The clinical notes application is used in daily clinical practice. The model meets explicit design criteria and clinical needs. CONCLUSIONS With the comprehensive HL7 standard it is possible to model and map progress notes using SOAP headings and POMR methodology. We have developed a generic, flexible and applicable paradigm by using acts for each assessment that refer to a condition (1), by separating conditions from concerns (2), and by an extensive use of the working list act (3).