Chiropractic SOAP Notes: Examples and Templates

Shine Colcol

May 5, 2025•19 min read

Fact checked by Dr. Ben Condon

Template

Chiropractic SOAP Notes Template

This chiropractic SOAP note template is designed to help you chart patient visits with clarity and consistency, guiding you through the essential sections of Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. Used with Heidi, this template helps streamline your clinical documentation by:

Capturing key visit details in real-time (e.g. patient describing sharp lower back pain after lifting heavy boxes, or reporting neck stiffness from long hours at a desk) while you focus on communicating and delivering care instead of catching up on details of your conversations.
Automatically organizing your findings into a structured, legally-compliant SOAP format, making it easier to justify treatments such as spinal adjustments or myofascial release.
Adapting to different patient scenarios, whether you’re documenting an acute sports injury during an initial consult or tracking progress for a chronic sciatica case across multiple visits.

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What is a Chiropractic SOAP Note?

A chiropractic SOAP note is a framework-based charting method used by chiropractors to capture clinical visits in four key areas: Subjective input from the patient about their symptoms, Objective data observed during the physical exam, the chiropractor’s Assessment including clinical impressions or diagnoses, and a Plan detailing the treatment provided and future care strategy.

In this article, we’ll break down why we use compliant chiropractic SOAP notes templates, legal considerations for writing chiropractic SOAP notes, how to write chiropractic SOAP notes with examples, how today’s chiropractors use AI for documentation, and share customizable chiropractic SOAP note templates you can start using right away.

Why Use a Compliant Chiropractic SOAP Notes Template

Using a compliant chiropractic SOAP notes template is critical not only for efficient documentation and supporting high-quality care but also for safeguarding your practice against legal and financial risks. Here are the key reasons why compliant chiropractic notes achieve that:

Improves Communication and Continuity

Thorough chiropractic SOAP notes help provide essential legal protection by producing a clear, time-stamped clinical picture that can be shared across your care team or with specialists. This helps reduce the risk of denied insurance claims, audit failures, and legal disputes. In long-term or complex cases, detailed chiropractic notes help ensure continuity of care while demonstrating compliance with regulatory standards.

Facilitates Accurate Billing and Reimbursement

In insurance-based practices, a compliant chiropractic SOAP notes template can help make sure your documentation is aligned with submitted CPT codes and supports the medical necessity of each treatment, crucial for getting paid. Standardizing how you record patient visits helps justify charges to third-party payers, thereby protecting your practice from reimbursement delays or denials, billing disputes, and other costly errors.

Ensures Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Chiropractors are held to strict documentation standards by licensing boards and regulatory bodies. Accurate, timely SOAP notes demonstrate that care was appropriate and necessary, protect you during audits or malpractice claims, and meet the documentation requirements for state, federal, and insurance regulations.

To better understand the role your chiropractic SOAP notes play in protecting your practice, let us break down the key legal considerations that every chiropractor should keep in mind.

Legal Considerations When Writing Chiropractic SOAP Notes

Courts and insurers often rely on your documentation to determine whether the care provided was appropriate, timely, and necessary. Chiropractic SOAP notes are part of your overall documentation, serving as crucial legal documents that can significantly impact the outcome of audits, insurance claims, and potential legal cases.

Below are the core legal considerations every chiropractor should keep in mind when writing chiropractic SOAP notes and other clinical documentation:

1. Completeness and Accuracy

Inaccurate or missing details in your chiropractic SOAP notes can be used as evidence of substandard care or even negligence. Courts often examine whether your documentation appropriately supports your clinical decisions.

In fact, some chiropractors have been found negligent for failing to create or follow appropriate treatment plans based on presented symptoms, a mistake that thorough chiropractic SOAP notes documentation can help prevent.

What to do: Ensure that each visit is recorded fully, and using your own customized chiropractic SOAP note template can help you get started.

2. Timeliness of Documentation

Delayed or backdated chiropractic SOAP note forms often raise red flags in audits and legal reviews, undermining the credibility of your records.

What to do: Document notes during or immediately after each visit to ensure accuracy and legal defensibility. Tools like Heidi can help you capture real-time, time-stamped records effortlessly, keeping you compliant and better protected in the event of audits or malpractice claims.

Failing to document informed consent, especially for high-risk treatments like spinal manipulations, leaves you vulnerable to liability. For instance, cases that involve stroke or nerve damage from manipulation often cite lack of informed consent as a key factor.

What to do: Always note that the risks, benefits, and alternatives were discussed and consent was obtained. Heidi can help you easily capture and standardize consent language in your notes, ensuring consistent, compliant documentation every time.

4. Legibility and Clarity

Ambiguous, handwritten, or jargon-heavy notes can be misinterpreted, or even dismissed entirely, in court.

What to do: Ensure all documentation is readable and uses standardized terminology. This protects you in multi-provider settings and legal disputes where your notes may be scrutinized by outside experts.

5. Retention and Accessibility

Records are often requested years after care was provided, especially in malpractice or personal injury cases. Missing documentation weakens your legal defense.

What to do: Retain notes for 7–10 years after the last visit (depending on regional and more local laws), and ensure they are easy to retrieve for audits, legal requests, or regulatory board reviews.

6. Data Privacy and Security

Violations of data privacy laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S. and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the UK and EU, can lead to serious legal consequences, including fines, license reviews, and lasting reputational damage. These regulations require strict safeguards for handling patient information, including how it’s collected, stored, and shared.

What to do: Ensure that your chiropractic SOAP notes are stored in a secure, encrypted system and have restricted access to authorized personnel only. A system like Heidi which offers stringent regulatory data privacy measures can help ensure your chiropractic notes meet regional data protection standards, reducing your risk and giving both you and your patients greater peace of mind.

Regional Regulations for Chiropractic SOAP Notes

To help guide you in maintaining accurate and admissible chiropractic SOAP notes, here is a list of key regulatory requirements for chiropractic documentation in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia:

Chiropractic SOAP Notes in the United States

Chiropractors must follow documentation standards set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Chiropractic SOAP notes must also demonstrate the medical necessity of care and adhere to Evaluation and Management (E/M) Documentation Guidelines. To protect patient data, chiropractors in the United States must also look into HIPAA.

Chiropractic SOAP Notes in Canada
Chiropractic documentation is regulated by provincial colleges such as the College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO), so it is crucial to consult with your local province for further guidance regarding chiropractic SOAP notes documentation compliance.

Chiropractors must also comply with both the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which require secure handling of patient data and informed consent for its use.

Chiropractic SOAP Notes in the United Kingdom
The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) requires that patient records be accurate, complete, and securely stored in accordance with its Code of Practice and Standard of Proficiency. Chiropractors must retain records for a minimum of eight years and ensure they meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018, which aligns with GDPR for privacy protection. The GCC's Code of Professional Practice outlines all requirements.

Chiropractic SOAP Notes in Australia
The Chiropractic Board of Australia mandates that records be contemporaneous, accurate, and include all clinical interactions—from patient history and exam findings to diagnoses, treatments, and consent. Documentation must align with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which govern how personal information is handled, secured, and accessed.

Step-by-Step Process to Write Chiropractic SOAP Notes with Examples

Writing effective chiropractic SOAP notes requires clarity, structure, and attention to detail. Let us walk you through on how to effectively write chiropractic notes in the SOAP format, with practical examples to help you document patient visits with confidence:

1. Subjective

Start with what the patient tells you about their current condition. This includes symptoms, pain level, history of the issue, and how it’s affecting their daily life. This step documents the patient's experience in their own words, providing context for your clinical decisions.

Example:
“Patient reports sharp lower back pain (8/10) that started three days ago after lifting a heavy box at work. Describes pain as worse in the morning and after prolonged sitting. No radiating pain or numbness.”

2. Objective

Document measurable, observable findings from your physical exam, posture analysis, palpation, orthopedic tests, range of motion, or neurological checks. Objective data supports the patient’s subjective complaints and builds a defensible case for your diagnosis and treatment.

Example:
“Lumbar spine: decreased flexion with pain at L4-L5. Positive Kemp’s test on the right. Palpable muscle tightness in paraspinals. No sensory or motor deficits noted.”

3. Assessment

Summarize your working diagnosis or clinical impression based on the findings above. Include updates if this is a follow-up visit. This section shows your clinical reasoning and helps determine whether the treatment is medically necessary.

Example:
“Acute lumbar sprain/strain with associated myofascial tightness. Likely mechanical in origin. No signs of disc involvement or nerve root compression.”

4. Plan

Detail the treatment provided during the visit and your plan moving forward. Include frequency, duration, home care instructions, and any referrals if applicable. Providing a clear plan justifies the care you provide and keeps you compliant with insurance and legal requirements.

Example:
“Performed spinal adjustment to L4-L5 and myofascial release to lumbar region. Recommended ice 20 minutes 2x/day and limited bending. Patient to return 2x/week for 2 weeks, then reassess.”

Chiropractic SOAP Notes Template Example

Insights on Chiropractic SOAP Notes and AI

Many chiropractors are beginning to explore AI tools to streamline chiropractic SOAP note documentation, with some sharing positive experiences using tools like Heidi to transcribe and format notes during real-time consultations. According to them, chiropractic progress notes made via Heidi have saved significant time and reduced screen distraction during patient visits.

That said, it’s natural for legal and ethical considerations to be top of mind, particularly when it comes to compliance with standards like HIPAA and GDPR, documentation accuracy, and the role of AI-generated notes in legal contexts.

Heidi addresses these concerns by aligning with strict regulatory standards and ensuring full transparency in how notes are captured and stored. While human oversight ultimately remains critical, chiropractors can feel confident knowing that Heidi is built to support both clinical judgment and legal reliability.

Gain Confidence with Compliant Chiropractic SOAP Notes Using Heidi

Here’s how Heidi helps you protect your chiropractic practice and stay documentation-ready in three simple steps:

Transcribe – While you're adjusting a patient with chronic neck pain or evaluating a first-time visitor after a car accident, Heidi listens in real-time and documents everything from chief complaints to progress updates. No more scrambling to remember what was said or manually filling in notes at the end of a long day.
Transform – Heidi automatically organizes your notes into the proper SOAP format, ensuring you cover all required documentation fields that insurance providers, auditors, and legal reviewers look for.
Customize – Customize templates for different visit types, from wellness check-ins to acute injury care, so you're always covered in case of audits or legal reviews. Whether you're defending the medical necessity of repeated visits or showing continuity of care for a PI (personal injury) case, Heidi keeps a complete, time-stamped record of every encounter.

Heidi has taken a proactive stance in aligning the product with global privacy standards, ensuring healthcare professionals can use it with confidence across different regions.

By implementing advanced encryption, secure storage systems, and a transparent approach to data use, Heidi affirms its dedication to ensuring chiropractors like you and other healthcare providers can confidently document care with the help of Heidi, in full compliance with the strictest regulatory laws across key regions.

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Free Chiropractic SOAP Note Templates

Chiropractic Progress Notes Templates

This chiropractic progress notes template helps chiropractors efficiently document patient visits using a structured SOAP format. It captures patient history, exam findings, treatment techniques, and follow-up plans—all in one place. Designed to support accurate, comprehensive care, it streamlines clinical notes while meeting documentation standards.

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Detailed Chiropractic SOAP Notes Template for Initial Visits

This chiropractic SOAP note template is a great tool for chiropractors to help document comprehensive initial patient assessments. It covers presenting complaints, medical history, detailed exams (e.g., SFMA, muscle and ROM testing), diagnosis, treatment, and care plans. Ideal for initial visits, this template ensures thorough documentation while Heidi streamlines the process so you can focus more on patient care.

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Chiropractic SOAP Notes Template for Work Injuries

This chiropractic notes template helps chiropractors document job-related factors contributing to a patient’s work injury. It captures key details like job duties, physical demands, and hours worked, providing essential context for injury assessment and treatment planning. When used with Heidi, it streamlines the creation of clear, comprehensive occupational descriptions, supporting both clinical decision-making and insurance documentation.

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FAQs About Chiropractic SOAP Notes

How often should chiropractic SOAP notes be reviewed to track progress?

SOAP notes should be reviewed and updated at every patient visit to reflect recent findings and key decisions. Regulatory bodies like CMS (U.S.) and the GCC (UK) require documentation to show ongoing medical necessity and changes in the patient’s condition. For longer treatments, a review every 30 days or 10–12 visits is commonly expected to stay compliant and ensure effective care.

Who can legally access a patient's chiropractic SOAP notes?

Under HIPAA, only the treating chiropractor, authorized staff, the patient, and approved third parties with written consent can access SOAP notes, but access must follow the "minimum necessary" rule. Under GDPR, only healthcare providers, the patient, and authorized processors can access the notes, with all access requiring a lawful basis and strong data protection measures.

How can I create my own chiropractic SOAP notes template?

Creating a custom chiropractic SOAP notes template in Heidi is quick and easy. You can either start from a blank template, convert an existing consultation note into a template, or use Ask Heidi to build the template based on your specific needs by describing the sections or style you want. Your AI-enabled chiropractic SOAP notes template will help you document efficiently without sacrificing accuracy.

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