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Joy of Electronic Drawing for Operative Notes: Enhancing Surgical Documentation

Article information

J Audiol Otol. 2025;29(1):64-66
Publication date (electronic) : 2025 January 20
doi : https://doi.org/10.7874/jao.2024.00682
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Address for correspondence Jong Woo Chung, MD, PhD Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, Korea Tel +82-2-3010-3718 Fax +82-2-489-2773 E-mail jwchung@amc.seoul.kr
Received 2024 December 3; Accepted 2025 January 3.

Abstract

This manuscript explores the integration of electronic drawings into surgical operative notes, highlighting their importance in improving the quality and utility of surgical documentation. Operative notes, as essential components of surgical practice, serve various purposes: they detail procedures, provide critical information to healthcare providers, guide treatment planning, and function as legal records. The transition from traditional hand-drawn illustrations to electronic drawings, enabled by the growing adoption of electronic medical record systems, has transformed surgical documentation. This digital approach offers multiple advantages, including better communication among healthcare providers, enhanced patient care, and more effective teaching tools for surgical residents. By delivering clear and intuitive visual depictions of complex procedures, electronic drawings enable faster information retrieval during time-sensitive consultations and promote a shared understanding among healthcare professionals. In conclusion, incorporating electronic drawings into operative notes significantly enriches surgical documentation, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and advancing the discipline of surgery.

Importance of Operative Note

The operative note is a critical document in surgical practice. It meticulously details the procedure, provides essential information for other healthcare providers, aids in future treatment planning, and serves as a legal record. It is also an invaluable educational tool, offering insights into surgical techniques for future surgeons.

To ensure accuracy, the surgeon must sign off on the operative note, confirming that all crucial elements are included [1]. This procedure necessitates a standardized checklist or template for each surgery to ensure no details are omitted [2]. The operative report records the disease status and extent, the details of the procedure, and any unusual occurrences during surgery. It allows for postoperative review, aids in assessing disease severity, and guides postoperative care. The operative note is essential for patients requiring long-term follow-up, documenting functional impairments and recovery [3].

Another essential function of the operative note is the transfer of information. It provides critical evidence for other physicians involved in patient care, detailing the pathology location and surgical approach used. However, in practice, these reports can lack essential information or use abbreviations that impede clear communication [4]. Incorporating intraoperative photos can enhance understanding and improve the reliability of handwritten reports by supplementing them with digital materials [5]. Despite these efforts, the quality of operative notes may still need to improve due to limitations in terminology [6] and the omission of comprehensive information [7].

The Role of Drawings in Surgical Documentation

Drawings have emerged as a powerful tool to enhance the clarity and comprehensiveness of operative notes [8]. They offer a quick, intuitive way to confirm surgical findings and improve understanding. These illustrations were initially hand-drawn onto paper reports and stored in patients’ medical records. With the advent of electronic medical systems, these annotated reports were scanned and uploaded to digital platforms.

Drawing the operative note allows for a thorough review of the surgical procedure, enabling the surgeon to document any pathology discovered, as well as anatomical changes, inflammation, cholesteatomas, or tumors observed during the operation. This process provides an opportunity to evaluate surgical techniques and, when encountering similar cases in the future, to reinforce or modify surgical methods as needed.

The Shift to Electronic Drawing

The recent widespread adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems and the increasing familiarity with digital tools have ushered in a new era of surgical documentation. This technological shift has led to integrating electronic drawings into operative notes, resulting in more intuitive and durable records.

The process of finalizing the operative report involves creating a drawing on a tablet using a drawing app, converting it into an image file, and adding it to the EMR system (Fig. 1). This digital drawing process is not only efficient but also allows for more detailed and accurate representations of the surgical procedure.

Fig. 1.

Electronic drawing of operative notes. Intact canal wall mastoidectomy and ossiculoplasty with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis drawn with tablet.

Benefits of Electronic Drawings in Operative Notes

Enhanced communication

Electronic drawings in operative notes play a crucial role in fostering clearer communication among healthcare providers. When referring a patient to another physician, these illustrated reports provide an immediate and clear understanding of the surgery performed. This visual representation can quickly convey complex surgical procedures that might be challenging to describe solely through text, fostering a sense of connection and shared understanding among healthcare professionals.

Improved patient care

These enhanced reports, particularly valuable in outpatient settings, significantly improve patient care when addressing postoperative symptoms. A quick review of the drawing allows for immediate identification of specific surgical details, such as chorda tympani nerve damage, changes in the ossicles, or the presence of a prosthesis. This visual information not only enables more efficient and accurate consultations but also instills a sense of confidence and reassurance in both patients and healthcare providers.

Educational tool

Illustrated operative reports serve as an excellent educational resource for surgical residents, inspiring them to learn and grow. These structured visual representations allow trainees to review observed procedures, reinforcing their learning and understanding of complex surgical techniques. The educational value of electronic drawings in operative notes is a testament to the continuous growth and development within the healthcare profession.

Precision in follow-up care

Detailed operative notes are crucial in specialized fields like otologic surgery, where the primary goals often include disease eradication and anatomical reconstruction to restore function. The recovery of hearing post-surgery is closely linked to surgical details. Comprehensive, illustrated operative notes prove invaluable during postoperative follow-up, allowing for quick information retrieval during time-constrained consultations.

Future Implications

Integrating electronic drawings into operative reports represents a significant advancement in surgical documentation. This approach will likely enhance the intuitiveness and ease of understanding of operative notes in the future. As technology evolves, we may see further innovations in this area, including three-dimensional models or augmented reality representations of surgical procedures.

Conclusion

The joy of electronic drawing for operative notes lies in its ability to significantly enhance surgical documentation. By providing clear, intuitive visual representations of complex procedures, electronic drawings improve communication among healthcare providers, enhance patient care, serve as valuable educational tools, and ensure more precise follow-up care. As we continue to embrace technological advancements in healthcare, the integration of electronic drawings in operative notes stands as a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving surgical documentation and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

Notes

Conflicts of Interest

The author has no financial conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

None

Acknowledgements

None

References

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Article information Continued

Fig. 1.

Electronic drawing of operative notes. Intact canal wall mastoidectomy and ossiculoplasty with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis drawn with tablet.