How to Write a SOAP Note That's Actually Useful

The SOAP note is one of those things in healthcare that everyone learns but not everyone does well. It's deceptively simple: four sections, a logical flow, a clear structure. Yet poorly written SOAP notes are everywhere, creating confusion for other providers, liability for the documenting clinician, and gaps in patient care.

Here's how to write SOAP notes that are actually useful.

The Structure, Quickly

Subjective (S): What the patient tells you. Their words, their complaints, their history as they report it.

Objective (O): What you observe and measure. Vital signs, exam findings, lab results, imaging.

Assessment (A): Your clinical judgment. Diagnoses, differential diagnoses, your reasoning.

Plan (P): What happens next. Treatment, follow-up, referrals, patient education.

That's it. The structure isn't complicated. The execution is where people struggle.

Subjective: Capture the Patient's Story

The chief complaint should be in the patient's own words when possible. "My knee has been killing me for two weeks" is more useful than "patient presents with knee pain."

For the History of Present Illness, think chronologically. When did it start? What makes it worse? What makes it better? Has the patient tried anything? Use OLDCARTS (Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating factors, Relieving factors, Timing, Severity) if you need a framework.

Include relevant past medical history, family history, and social history, but only what's relevant. A patient presenting with acute pharyngitis doesn't need three paragraphs about their grandfather's cardiac history.

Common mistake: Burying the chief complaint in a wall of history. Lead with why the patient is here, then provide context.

Objective: Stick to What You Can Measure

This section is for observable, measurable data. No interpretations, no opinions, just findings.

• Document vital signs with specific numbers, not "within normal limits."
• Describe physical exam findings specifically. "Lungs clear to auscultation bilaterally" is better than "lungs normal."
• Include all relevant lab results and imaging findings.
• If you didn't examine something, don't document it as normal.

Common mistake: Writing "normal exam" or "unremarkable." If a malpractice attorney asks what specifically was normal, you need to have documented it. "Heart: regular rate and rhythm, no murmurs, rubs, or gallops" holds up. "Heart: normal" does not.

Assessment: Show Your Reasoning

The assessment isn't just a diagnosis code. It's where you demonstrate clinical thinking.

• List your most likely diagnosis first, then alternatives.
• Briefly explain why you favor one diagnosis over another.
• For chronic conditions, note whether they're stable, improving, or worsening.
• If the diagnosis is uncertain, say so. A well-documented differential is stronger than a premature conclusion.

Common mistake: Assessment sections that just list ICD-10 codes without any clinical reasoning. If another provider reads your note, they should understand not just what you think is going on, but why.

Plan: Be Specific

Vague plans create confusion and liability. Compare:

Bad: "Continue current medications. Follow up."

Good: "Continue Lisinopril 20mg daily. Add Amlodipine 5mg daily for persistent BP elevation. Recheck BP in 2 weeks. Patient educated on low-sodium diet and instructed to monitor for ankle swelling. Return in 4 weeks or sooner if symptoms worsen."

The plan should include:

• Specific medications with doses and frequencies
• What was communicated to the patient
• When to follow up and under what circumstances to return sooner
• Any referrals or additional testing ordered
• Patient education provided

Common mistake: Inconsistent follow-up. If your assessment identifies a concerning finding, the plan needs to address it. Every problem in the assessment should have a corresponding action in the plan.

Two Examples

Routine Follow-Up

S: 62-year-old male presents for hypertension follow-up. Reports good compliance with Lisinopril 20mg daily. No side effects. Occasional mild headaches attributed to work stress. Denies chest pain, dyspnea, or vision changes.

O: BP 128/82, HR 72, RR 16. Lungs clear bilaterally. Heart RRR, no murmurs. No peripheral edema. Neurologic exam non-focal.

A: Hypertension, well-controlled on current regimen. Tension-type headaches likely stress-related, not concerning for hypertensive emergency given current BP.

P: Continue Lisinopril 20mg daily. Discussed stress management strategies and sleep hygiene. Return in 3 months for routine follow-up. Patient instructed to seek urgent care if headaches become severe, sudden-onset, or accompanied by visual changes or neurological symptoms.

Acute Presentation

S: 28-year-old female presents with 3-day history of sore throat, fever, and fatigue. Denies cough, nasal congestion, or rash. No sick contacts known. Reports difficulty swallowing and right-sided ear pain that started today. No recent travel.

O: Temp 101.2°F, HR 88, BP 118/72. Oropharynx erythematous with bilateral tonsillar exudate. No peritonsillar bulging or uvular deviation. Anterior cervical lymphadenopathy, tender bilaterally, right greater than left. TMs dull bilaterally without effusion. Rapid strep positive.

A: Acute streptococcal pharyngitis. Referred ear pain likely secondary to pharyngitis rather than primary otitis, given normal TMs.

P: Amoxicillin 500mg TID x 10 days. Discussed supportive care: rest, fluids, throat lozenges, acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever. Patient educated on completing full antibiotic course. Return in 48-72 hours if no improvement, or immediately for difficulty breathing, inability to swallow, or worsening unilateral neck swelling. Follow up in 1 week if symptoms persist.

Making Intake Data Work for Your SOAP Notes

One way to improve the Subjective section is to capture detailed patient history before the visit. When patients complete a thorough digital intake form covering chief complaint, symptom timeline, medications, allergies, and relevant history, the provider walks into the room with the Subjective section half-written.

Platforms like Formisoft offer healthcare-specific fields for medications, allergies, conditions, and symptoms in structured formats that map naturally to SOAP documentation. Conditional logic means patients only answer relevant questions, and the data arrives organized rather than scrawled on a clipboard.

This doesn't replace clinical judgment, but it gives you a better starting point and more time for the parts of the encounter that actually require a clinician.

Good SOAP notes protect your patients, your colleagues, and yourself. The investment in writing them well pays dividends every time another provider opens the chart.