Dr. Richard Bloom x Heidi at a glance
"It's way more accurate than what my handwritten notes were. I'm sometimes even surprised by some of the things that it includes… I read the output and think, actually, we did talk about that!" – Dr. Richard Bloom, Plastic Surgeon
Key outcomes:
- Significantly improved accuracy of clinical notes and surgical documentation
- Eliminated filing errors and incomplete records through real-time note generation
- Enhanced patient interactions by reducing note-taking distractions during consultations
- Streamlined workflow across consultations, surgical plans, and operative reports
Read on if you might also be experiencing:
- Challenges completing accurate clinical documentation in a timely manner
- Frequent issues with misfiled, incomplete, or delayed notes
- Difficulty finding medical-specific documentation tools suited to surgical practice
- The desire to streamline administrative tasks to spend more quality time with patients
Background
Established over 20 years ago, Dr. Richard Bloom’s private cosmetic surgery practice has long been a leading destination for breast, body, and face procedures. In 2017, he decided to focus purely on cosmetic procedures, building on his years of experience in reconstructive work and cancer surgery. Dr. Bloom and his team’s mission is to provide patients with compassionate care while delivering exceptional surgical outcomes.
Challenges
With a busy schedule, multiple patient consultations every day, and complex surgical planning, there’s a lot at stake in ensuring that documentation is thorough and timely. Dr. Bloom’s team works at a large scale, caring for patients from initial consultations through post-operative visits, all of which demand accurate clinical notes, letters, and follow-ups.
Incomplete & delayed notes
“I'd be taking notes as I was going, and then I might forget to fill in the examination findings or the plan or send my notes to my secretary for booking surgery. Then I’d have to stay back to finish them off or complete them late at night at home.”
Filing errors and workflow inefficiencies
“There were two problems, sometimes the team would forget to file the records and sometimes they would file them, but I hadn't finished.”
Dr Bloom's old workflow involved transferring files, scanning, and multiple steps between staff members - all of which meant a high risk of misfiling or missed updates.
Generic digital tools not geared for medical use
While Dr. Bloom explored early AI-driven or speech-to-text solutions, it quickly became clear that a generic model wouldn’t capture the precise nature of surgical details.
“I realised how powerful AI could be but I needed something more medically specific.”
Over the years, Dr. Bloom’s practice experimented with iPads and various note-taking programs. However, these solutions remained cumbersome, incomplete, or prone to error. That changed when he started using Heidi.
Solution
Dr. Bloom’s practice was introduced to Heidi through a colleague. He collaborated with the Heidi team to roll out custom templates for consultations, letters to patients and referring doctors, and operative notes.
“It's way more accurate than what my handwritten notes were. I'm sometimes even surprised by some of the things that it includes… I read the output and think, actually, we did talk about that!”
Dr Bloom's favorite features:
- Tailored templates:
- Easily create fields for patient objective, past history, medications, even examination findings. Heidi also accurately records the surgical plan and notes for my staff.
- Accurate transcription:
- Captures every patient detail - especially valuable when patients mention significant concerns or aspects of their history out of sequence. Heidi is able to put it all together in a meaningful way.
Curious about how templates could streamline your workflow? Explore Heidi’s Template Library
Impact
“Overall, it's way more efficient and saves me time. I don't have any of those issues with filing or not completing notes…”
Key outcomes
- Increased accuracy: Every piece of patient information, including surgical and medication details, gets captured.
- Reduced filing errors: Eliminated the multi-step manual filing process that risked losing or mislabelling notes.
- Better focus on patients: Heidi freed up Dr. Bloom to engage more deeply with patients instead of juggling typing the notes.
Goodbye incomplete notes
Notes are now drafted in real time. Missed or incomplete entries? A thing of the past.
Goodbye misfiling
No more missing or unfiled notes. Documents are generated and stored at the point of care, drastically cutting the possibility of mistakes.
“It's way more organised in how it presents it because it's all part of my template.”
Hello medically accurate insights
Heidi’s medical specificity ensures relevant details are naturally included - across a variety of uses.
Unexpected benefit
Dr. Bloom discovered that using Heidi for operative reports added a new layer of consistency and thoroughness to his workflow.
“I wasn't expecting to use it for operating reports. It's a really good use for it.”
What’s next
Looking ahead, Dr. Bloom is excited to scale Heidi’s capabilities across more points in his patient journey.
By integrating Heidi directly with his electronic medical records (EMR), Dr. Bloom hopes to further streamline every facet of patient care, from consults to surgery reports to post-op follow-ups.
“Incorporating Heidi into our EMR will be a really big step. I'm hoping that'll make things even easier.”
With Heidi’s support, Dr. Bloom and his team are freed up to continue delivering the highest standard of cosmetic procedures, confident that their documentation is as meticulous and personalised as their patient care.
