Progress notes aren't just another checkbox. They're the heart of patient care.

Whether you're just starting out or have been fighting note bloat from years — notes help us keep track of client sessions, maintain compliance, and build medical history.

Whether you're using an AI progress note generator, a handwritten note, or another methodology, the goal is the same: to create clear, accurate notes without spending hours typing or stressing over every detail.  

As Dr. Mark Aronson noted in the American Journal of Medicine, "Decades into caring for patients as an internist, I still worry about my progress notes."

Here are some practical tips for writing progress notes that meet all the right standards, get the right information, and actually make your day run smoother.

Why progress notes matter

Progress notes do a lot of important work behind the scenes. They’re not just paperwork, they're the key to keeping everything running smoothly throughout your workday for you and your healthcare team. They matter for:

• Legal protection: Your notes are your safety net. They document your care and decision-making, so you can reference if needed.
• Billing and compliance: Insurance companies and regulators need clear documentation to understand and approve the care you provide. Missing or incomplete notes can lead to denied claims or audits – things nobody wants to deal with.
• Care coordination: Your notes aren’t just for you — they’re a vital communication tool. Other healthcare providers rely on them to get the full picture of a patient’s current status, treatment plans, and how they’re responding.
• Quality improvement: Good notes also help your whole team track patient progress and spot areas where care can get even better over time.

Well-written patient progress notes benefit you, your colleagues, and your patients. Taking a little time to get them right pays off in so many ways.

Learn more about process vs. progress notes in our detailed guide.

The 7 essential elements of every progress note

1. Subjective information (S)

This section captures what the patient tells you about their symptoms, concerns, and experiences. They might come in with certain treatment goals or desired outcomes. If you're creating a therapy progress note, your patient may come in discussing depressive symptoms or feelings of guilt. This section can house details on their current mental state.

What to include:

• Chief complaint in the patient's own words
• Current symptoms and their characteristics (onset, duration, severity)
• Patient's perception of their condition
• Relevant psychosocial factors

Example: "Patient reports 'sharp, stabbing pain in my lower back that started 3 days ago.' Rates pain 7/10, worse with movement. States 'I can barely get out of bed.' Denies numbness or tingling. Reports taking ibuprofen with minimal relief."

2. Objective information (O)

Document your clinical observations, examination findings, relevant session details, and measurable data.

What to include:

• Vital signs and physical examination findings
• Mental status observations
• Information on past mental health care treatment
• Laboratory results or diagnostic test findings
• Behavioral observations

Example: "Appears uncomfortable, guarding lower back. Vital signs: BP 128/82, HR 88, T 98.6°F. Lumbar spine exam reveals tenderness over L4-L5, limited range of motion, negative straight leg raise bilaterally. Gait slow and cautious."

3. Assessment (A)

Provide your clinical judgment about the patient's condition and progress.

What to include:

• Primary and secondary diagnoses
• Clinical impressions based on subjective and objective data
• Assessment of treatment response
• Risk factors or safety concerns

Example: "Acute lumbar strain, likely related to heavy lifting 3 days ago. No red flags for serious pathology. Patient showing minimal improvement with current pain management. Functional capacity significantly limited."

4. Plan (P)

Outline your treatment plan and next steps for the patient's care. Input essential information about your clinical strategy as it relates to your patient's health.

What to include:

• Immediate interventions and treatments
• Medication changes or prescriptions
• Follow-up appointments or referrals
• Patient education provided
• Goals for next session

Example: "Continue ibuprofen 600mg TID with food. Add muscle relaxant (cyclobenzaprine 10mg HS). Physical therapy referral for core strengthening. Patient education on proper lifting techniques and heat/ice therapy. Follow-up in 1 week if no improvement."

5. Interventions provided

Detail the specific therapeutic interventions you and your healthcare team performed during the session.

What to include:

• Specific techniques or modalities used
• Duration of interventions
• Patient's response to treatment
• Any modifications made during the session

Example: "Provided 45 minutes of individual psychotherapy using CBT techniques. Focused on anxiety management strategies and challenging catastrophic thoughts about work performance. Patient actively engaged, demonstrated understanding of thought-challenging techniques."

6. Patient response and progress

Document how the patient responded to your interventions and their progress toward goals.

What to include:

• Immediate response to treatment
• Changes in symptoms or function
• Progress toward established goals
• Barriers to progress

Example: "Patient reports decreased anxiety (8/10 to 5/10) following relaxation techniques. Able to identify three specific coping strategies to use before presentations. Homework assignment: practice deep breathing exercises twice daily."

7. Risk assessment and safety planning

Address any safety concerns or risk factors that need ongoing monitoring. Include your assessment of whether they need a safety plan or just sporadic wellness checks.

What to include:

• Suicide, negative thoughts, and self-harm risk assessments
• Safety plan if applicable
• Risk factors for medical complications
• Environmental or social safety concerns
• Substance and alcohol use

Example: "Negative thoughts, but no current suicidal ideation reported. Patient has strong social support system and agreed to contact crisis line if thoughts of self-harm emerge. Current mental state appears stable. Next session scheduled within 1 week."

Common progress note formats

For detailed information about different types of progress notes, see our comprehensive guide.

The most common formats include:

SOAP format: The standard Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan structure used across most healthcare settings.

DAP format: Data, Assessment, Plan - commonly used in mental health settings.

BIRP format: Behavior, Intervention, Response, Plan - popular in substance abuse treatment.

PIE format: Problem, Intervention, Evaluation - used in nursing documentation.

Download ready-to-use progress note templates for each format.

What NOT to include in progress notes

No matter your note type, there are certain best practices for writing your patient progress note. As important as it is to include the right information, it's equally important to exclude irrelevant or misleading information. Here's what to avoid:

Personal opinions or judgments: Never include subjective judgments about the patient's character, lifestyle choices, or personal relationships unless directly relevant to treatment. Stick to essential information about the context of your patient's health.

❌ "Patient seems lazy and unmotivated"

✅ "Patient reports difficulty maintaining exercise routine due to fatigue"

Irrelevant personal information: Don't document personal details that don't impact clinical care. Stick to essential details only.

❌ "Patient mentioned their messy divorce and financial problems"

✅ "Recent life stressors (divorce, financial strain) contributing to increased anxiety symptoms"

Speculation or assumptions: Stick to observable facts and clinical data.

❌ "Patient is probably exaggerating their pain"

✅ "Patient reports pain level 10/10; no objective signs of acute distress observed"

Copy-and-paste errors: Avoid duplicating information from previous notes without verification.

Abbreviations or unclear language: Use clear, professional language that any healthcare provider can understand.

Information about other patients: Never include identifying information about other patients in patient progress note. Each patient has the right to a private note.

Tips for efficient progress note writing

Use templates: Standardize your documentation with customizable templates that include all required elements for your specialty.

Document in real-time: Write notes immediately after patient encounters while details are fresh (ideally before a shift change or end of day).

Be specific: Use precise language and measurable terms whenever possible.

Review and edit: Always proofread your notes before finalizing them.

Stay current: Keep up with documentation requirements in your healthcare setting and practice specialty.

Understanding the difference: Process vs. progress notes

Progress notes document the patient's clinical progress, treatment response, and objective changes in their condition. These are typically required for billing and regulatory compliance.

Process notes capture the therapeutic process, including detailed session content, clinical impressions, and treatment planning. These are often used for clinical supervision and quality improvement.

Streamlining progress note documentation

Writing comprehensive progress notes doesn't have to consume hours of your time. Modern technology can help you maintain quality documentation while reducing administrative burden.

Consider AI-powered solutions: Advanced AI progress note generators can help you create comprehensive, accurate notes by automatically transcribing your patient encounters and formatting them according to your preferences.

These tools can capture your natural conversation with patients and transform it into properly formatted progress notes, allowing you to focus on patient care rather than documentation.

Conclusion

Effective progress note writing is both an art and a science. By following the structured approach outlined in this guide, you can create comprehensive, compliant documentation that supports quality patient care while protecting yourself legally.

Remember that good progress notes tell a clear story of the patient's journey through treatment. They should be detailed enough for another clinician to understand the patient's current status and continue care seamlessly.

Whether you choose to write notes manually or leverage modern AI progress note generators to streamline the process, the key is maintaining consistency, accuracy, and attention to the essential elements that make progress notes valuable clinical documents.

Looking for more specialized documentation help? Check out our guides on medical scribe note examples to see how professional medical scribes approach clinical documentation.