Writing a meaningful report

In my job at a busy public hospital I go through many reports sent in together with referrals for patients to be seen. The information contained in these reports determines how timely a patient has access to tertiary care facility. All your hard work is going to be locked up in a single piece of a paper the end of any study – it will either lead to reassurance, appropriate management or sometimes a cascade of unnecessary investigation and many patient Google hours. I am sure you are aware of the acronym VOMIT – victims of modern imaging techniques;1 it has its origins in the harm that comes from incorrect or thoughtless reports. Please allow me to share some thoughts on what to consider when you write a report.