Writing Quote by Robert Wachter
““It shouldn’t surprise you, then, that notes written by internists read like novellas (ones in which we’re paid by the word), while a colleague of mine jokes that a typical post-op surgical note reads something like “Feeling well and doing swell.””
About This Quote
The quote humorously contrasts lengthy internist notes with terse surgical notes, highlighting differing documentation cultures in medicine.
In simple terms: Doctors write long notes;surgeons keep them short.
Key Takeaway
Tailor documentation to purpose and audience.
Themes
medical communication
documentation styles
efficiency
clinical practice
Mood
pragmatic
reflective
Type
educational
clinical
When to use this quote
- hospital rounds
- electronic health records
- patient discharge summaries
Key Concepts
brevity
detail orientation
information overload
Questions to Reflect On
- When is a detailed note essential?
- How to balance completeness and clarity?
A Different Perspective
Over‑detail can obscure key information; brevity may miss nuance.
![“We have Dragon [dictation software],” one primary care doctor said, “which you have to be careful of, because I just [dictated] ‘Patient’s prostate is bothering him’ and it turned out ‘Patient’s prostitute is bothering him.” quote by Robert Wachter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/092/robert-wachter-32426_medicine_we-have-dragon-dictation-software-one-pr_1302192.jpg)
