The doctor’s note is used to provide proof that an individual went to see a doctor, clinic, or emergency room. The doctor’s note states that the individual was examined, and a written recommendation is produced. This written recommendation is then presented to a manager, school, or other organization.
Doctor’s notes are often required by schools and jobs in order to excuse someone from an activity, or in order to get back to work or get out of doing work. For example, if an individual had an accident as a child and as a result can no longer climb ladders, they will need a doctor’s note to explain this to their company, in case their manager requires them to climb stairs, ladders in order to restock shelves, or do another heavy lifting.
Important Elements in Any Doctor’s Note
There are basic elements to creating the perfect doctors note. The first consideration is contact information. Your note should have the name, address, phone number, as well as a logo if that is applicable. The next consideration is the date and time the individual visited the doctor. Also, the name of the ‘patient’ is to be included, as well as a diagnosis. However, it is not necessary to include the particular details of the visit, as these are often seen as confidential between patient and doctor, and protected by the patient, doctor confidentiality via the Hippocratic Oath.
Next, there should be information on when the individual can return to work if this is applicable. For example, “No heavy lifting for 3 weeks”. It should be also mentioned that the doctors’ note allows you to return to work only under certain conditions such as: No standing for long periods, no extensive walking,
Remember, a doctor’s note is seen as a legal document in a court of law.
Donna Ballman 1 wrote an interesting article on the importance of the Doctors Note in job security. Indeed, a Doctor’s Note can help you to secure your job while you are in the process of healing.
The Benefits of Using a Doctor’s Note Template
There are many benefits to be gained using a Doctor’s Note Template, for both doctors and individuals. The first benefit is convenience. Simply look for the template that suits your needs, download, complete, and print. The second-largest benefit is that the doctor’s note templates are cost-effective. Once you download a template, you can reuse that template over and over again. There is no need to waste your valuable time creating a template on your own, nor spend money on template creation software.
Physicians who choose to download and use templates will find that templates lower their overhead and also save them much-needed time. Simply delegate the process to their office staff and both valuable time and money are saved.
Our website offers over 30 different types of Doctor’s Note Templates. Each of our templates is professionally designed and created with the user in mind, in order to give them the most concise and complete form available online. As an added benefit, our templates are completely free for you to download. These free to download templates are simple to use. Simply download, customize and print or save to disk. It is all just that simple.
The Types of Templates We Are Providing
Below you will find a sampling of the types of Doctor’s Note Templates we are providing. You can be confident that each template will have the proper fields required in order to create your Doctor’s Note.
- Mental Health/Psychological Doctor’s Note Templates
- Jury Duty Doctor’s Note Templates
- Dental Doctor’s Note Templates
- Cardiologist Doctor’s Note Templates
- General Doctors Excuse Note
- Emergency Room Note
- Ears Nose and Throat (ENT) Note
- Podiatrist Doctor’s Note Templates
- Classic Medical Excuse Note
- Oral Surgery Note
- Return-to-Work Note
- Eye Specialist Note
- Pediatrician Doctor’s Note Templates
- Dermatologist Doctors Note
- Pregnancy Letter
- General Clinic Visitation Note
Composing the Doctors Note
Before you create a doctor’s note, go over the above elements, and be sure to include at least these four:
It is a truth, that today people are creating their own doctor’s notes. For example, due to high health care costs, many people who have injured themselves and cannot climb the ladder required at work, yet cannot afford a doctor’s visit, will often create a doctor’s note from a template. This means that even though they could not afford a doctor’s visit, at least they can stay off of the ladder until they heal.
As a result, if you do decide to go this route, it is important that you pay close attention to detail. Make sure that the note looks as authentic as possible.
Contact information (This will include the doctors name, address, and phone number.)
Date and time (This refers to your appointment date and time.)
Names (This is for your name.)
Basic Diagnosis
In composing the doctors note, it is not necessary to include any detailed information regarding your visit. In fact, the HIPPA laws of doctor, patient privacy prohibits any information from being on this note. An asci diagnosis is fine.
Limitations
This refers to any limitations which cannot be done while at work, as well as a time frame. For instance, you cannot climb ladders for 4 weeks.
Situations Which Benefit from the Doctors Note
There are many situations where a doctor’s note can help. As mentioned above, with the rising cost of health care services, people cannot afford to lose time at work, and also spend money for a doctor’s visit. Most people are just squeaking by financially, and often have to make a choice between visiting a doctor and buying food for their families or paying rent.
As a result, people need to create a doctor’s note so that they may be excused from work. For example, if an individual fell while mowing the lawn, and twisted their ankle, they would not be able to go to work that Monday. However, their work has strict rules that state that if you miss any days, you will not get paid or these days will count against you in a review. By creating a doctor’s note, they have an excuse from a doctor as to why they were not in, plus a limitation stating they must not stand or move heavy objects for a specified time.
By creating a doctor’s note, the individual has saved money on a doctor’s visit, as well as saved their job. It is often a tight maze to navigate, but one that must be done in order to secure their position at work in these days and times. Below are some examples of situations where a doctor’s note can be beneficial to your life.
Psychological/Mental Health Doctors Note
This note may be used in the event of episodes of anxiety, panic attacks, or phobias. For instance, if an individual has a phobia of spiders, they would use this note as a way to prevent them from entering areas with spiders, such as basements, cellars, or warehouse areas.
Cardiologist Note
This note is valuable for individuals who are physically unable to do strenuous work, yet cannot afford a doctor’s visit and tests. For example, an individual may have had a minor heart attack scare, but cannot afford to take days off, or they injured their back many years ago so cannot do certain activities, yet cannot afford a doctor visit needed to obtain permission to not do strenuous work. They would use this to state job limitations so they would not be stressed at work. For example, limitations which would state no lifting heavy objects or other strenuous work.
Gynecologist Note
This is a specialized note which would refer to a woman’s reproductive system. In other words, if an individual had a fall and hurt their back, they could use a gynecologist note, as lifting is often contraindicated in certain health conditions involving issues with a woman’s reproductive system.
Urologist Note
This Doctors note is extremely useful for individuals who have a condition where they need to take frequent bathroom breaks, but their job does not allow frequent breaks. If they cannot afford the doctor’s visit and tests that are needed for a note, the Urologist Note can help the situation.
Jury Duty Doctor Notice
The Jury Notice Doctor’s Note is valuable for people who cannot afford to miss any workdays. Many people work up to two jobs in order to feed their family, and just losing one day or more for jury duty can mean that they will have to sacrifice much.
Doctor’s Note or Excuse Templates for Microsoft Word
 
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Doctor’s Note Templates and Forms in PDF
Disclaimer: Use the Doctor’s Note at Your Own Risk
This site provides templates to be used by physicians and individuals. If you are not a physician and choose to create your own note, realize we are only providing a template, that you are responsible for your own actions in downloading, creating and using any note created by these templates.
It is important to remember that a doctor’s note is considered a legal document. This means that it can be used in a court of law. This is a disclaimer simply states that by using our templates for making these notes, you understand that you and you alone are responsible for your actions in using these templates to create your own doctors note.
Be aware of the risks involved and weight them against the gains. Most doctor’s notes are created out of necessity, as a way to keep their employment in tact while recovering from an illness. For more information on Doctors Notes, feel free to investigate further via the Family Medical Leave Act.
References:
- Ballman, Donna, “Can You Be Fired For Calling In Sick — Even With A Doctor’s Note?” https://www.aol.com/article/2013/03/14/fired-missing-work-doctors-note/20498990/
- “FMLA Protection Regarding Doctor’s Notes”, www.macelree.com/fmla-protection-regarding-doctors-notes/
