Get A Faster Easier Note System Without Breaking The Bank

In a world where progress notes are the bane of your existence (you would literally rather watch paint dry) anything that makes notes faster and easier is a win in your book.  And as AI has taken over the therapy notes world by storm, this often costly tool doesn’t solve this one tiny notes problem - play therapy notes.  As in AI likely won’t translate to how playing “arrest in the schoolyard” is actually therapeutic. 

So, I wanted to give you the most powerful tool in my therapy practice that helps me write faster, easier notes….Simple Practice! 

Simple Practice is hands down the #1 EHR I recommend for practice owners, especially for clinicians who see kids. With customizable forms and portals unique to each parent (to solve your co-parenting paperwork stress) Simple practice is 10/10.  Use this link HERE to get $150 off!

Wheewww! Now that the cat is out of the metaphorical bag (and you have a code for some major savings) I wanted to share with you why an EHR can help you write more efficient and effective notes. 

First things first you can customize your notes to be exactly the right fit for you! You can add in dropdown boxes, checklists, and the specific language you need to pass that insurance company audit as part of your template!  When you have a notes template that fits you like a glove you can increase your efficiency and effectiveness with notes.  

When you get rid of the excess it helps you scan the notes quicker and easier as well as make sure you are only putting in things that absolutely need to be in your notes! 

You can also make different notes for different types of sessions so only the most important information is included.  For example I have a different note template for my in office clients vs. my virtual sessions (which require more documentation).  Some therapists even customize a Play Therapy or EMDR specific note. 

Other EHRs I have looked into can charge up to thousands to make your own template leaving you stuck with the stock model, which actually might not include everything you need for insurance standards.  Simple Practice was one of the few I found that allows you to make all of your own unlimited changes for free! 

The next thing that makes Simple Practice amazing is a feature called “load last note”.  What this feature does is load the previous note (up to several notes back) for your client.  

Now although it is not ethical to just “load previous note” so you have identical notes for each session for an entire year, it DOES help you to pre-load things that will stay the same like your treatment plan goals (which is actually required to include in your note), overall general functioning, and treatment modality (if that stays consistent session to session).  With this feature you can shave significant time off your notes! 

Check out a tour of my Simple Practice med record AND how I use this feature in my 5 Minute Note Program! 

If that wasn’t enough I wanted to share some other bonuses I love about Simple Practice as a child and adolescent therapists! 

These extra bonuses that come with this EHR is like having my own admin assistant for the cost of free-ninety-nine! 

Clients can self schedule! This is a major game changer and as a solo practitioner I don’t have to play email tag with a client attempting to give my open time spots just to have them fill up and need to reissue a new email with corrected times.  By giving my clients the scheduling link it keeps me out of my inbox and focused on the other important tasks in my practice.  

The automated reminders. This helps cut down on no-shows significantly without even lifting a finger. AND the best news is that telehealth clients receive a message 10 minutes before their session to make sure they are ready and logged in right at the appointment time! 

Cancellation notifications.  Do you ever have clients that don’t read their emails? You might need to cancel short notice and may not be able to issue an email and a phone call.  Simple Practice allows you to send a cancellation text/email notice right from the program so your client (or client’s parent) is able to see the cancellation right away!  This prevents clients from showing up at your office after you have canceled! 

The  client portal! The client portal allows for more than one person to access documents.  This is a game changer for divorced, separated, or co-parents.  Past records I have used only allowed one user on the portal which prevented both parents from seeing important information about their child, appointment times, being able to schedule, or pay their bill. 

Online bill pay.  Speaking of the portal (see above) clients can pay their bill electronically online.  This feature has led to significantly lower past due balances for my clients because they can login and get any co-pays or session fees paid on their own timeline! 

Free Telehealth Platform.  Simple Practice has a free built in Telehalth platform that couldn’t be easier to use! You just click the appointment to start the telehealth session and once your client loggs in they are popped into a waiting room until you begin the session! 

Mobile access. This has been a game changer. Within the app I can see my appointments, have access to client contact information, and make any chances I need directly from my phone.  In all honesty I don’t use this feature much BUT there have been several emergencies within the last year that I was unable to get to my computer or office phone and would need to cancel clients on a short notice.  This allowed me to make the cancellations without going into the office.  


Now, if you are a therapist who struggles with documentation, specifically what to say and how to say it,  you need The 5 Minute Note Course! This is the course that gives you support on all things progress notes. 
 
​Learn to shrink your note writing process to write effortless and effective notes within your therapy day! This course includes all the details, guides, and cheat sheets to help you know what to write and how to write it.  AND includes templates and cheat sheets specifically for progress notes for play therapy!

AND if you want to try a better note system don't forget to use my code HERE to get $150 off!




This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through the links on this site.  The best news? It doesn’t cost you a penny and this one actually saves you money!  Thanks for supporting The Playful Therapist Blog by shopping my favorite playroom gear and accessories!

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