Clinical notes in Maxillo start as drafts and become a permanent record once signed. A signed note is locked. Corrections are made by adding an addendum or, where a change is unavoidable, by creating a new revision that keeps the original. This article covers all three.
Before you start
- Nurses can write and edit drafts. Signing needs a clinician: a dentist, hygienist or therapist. A draft written by a nurse shows Awaiting a clinician to sign.
- Creating a new revision of a signed note is restricted to roles with that permission and is recorded in the Audit log.
Steps
Write and sign a note
- Open the patient and choose the Clinical notes tab, or press New note in the header.
- If asked How would you like to take notes?, choose Clinical notes. The other options, Consent, Phone, Email and Internal, are listed in the left rail.
- Under New clinical note, type in Write a clinical note… and press Add draft note.
- The note appears in the Timeline marked as a draft. Use Edit to change it and Save to keep the change.
- When it is complete and accurate, press Sign. Read the confirmation, Sign this note?, and press Sign note.
Correct a signed note
- Find the signed note in the Timeline. It shows a lock and the time it was signed.
- To add information, press Add addendum. Type the addition in Additional clinical information…, give a Reason (required), and press Add addendum. The addendum is shown beneath the note with its own time and reason.
- If the note itself must change, choose Revise (unlock) to open Unlock & revise. Enter a Reason for revision (required) and press Create revision. A new editable draft is created and the signed version stays on the record marked as superseded.
- Edit the new revision and sign it as usual.
What happens next
Once signed, a note cannot be edited and shows as signed with the clinician's name and time. Print produces a printable copy of any note. Signed notes are also read for structured suggestions: charting, measurements, plan items, medical history and appointments mentioned in the note appear in a Suggestions from notes panel with the note's own words as evidence. Nothing is recorded until you press Approve; Dismiss removes a suggestion for good.
Common problems
- There is no Sign button — your role cannot sign. Ask a clinician to review and sign the draft.
- Edit has disappeared — the note is signed. Use Add addendum or, if necessary, Revise (unlock).
- A note shows as struck through with "revised — a newer version exists" — it was superseded by a revision. The current version is the one above it with a higher version number.
- I want Scribe to draft the note — choose Take AI notes on the chooser instead. See the Scribe article.