Physical Exam Assistant

The Physical Exam Assistant allows you to generate a clean, organized, and clinically focused physical exam using just a short case summary. The output is focused and tailored to the clinical context — saving time while ensuring thoroughness.

How It Works

Intelligent Exam Generation

Provide a brief clinical summary:

Example Input:

78M, L sided weakness, R facial droop, slurred speech x 1 hour

Generated Physical Exam:

Gen: Elderly male, NAD  
HEENT: NCAT, PERRL, right facial droop  
Neck: Trachea midline  
CV: RRR, distal pulses intact  
Resp: CTAB  
Abd: Soft, non-tender  
Ext: Left-sided weakness, no deformities  
Skin: Warm, dry, intact  
Neuro:  
- Mental Status: AAOx3  
- Speech: Slurred  
- Cranial Nerves: Right facial droop, tongue midline  
- Motor: LUE and LLE diminished, R side normal  
- Sensory: Decreased to light touch on left  
- Coordination: No ataxia  
- Gait: Not tested due to clinical condition  
- Reflexes: 2+ and symmetric  
Psych: Appropriate mood and affect  

NIHSS:  
1A. Level of Consciousness: 0  
1B. Ask Month and Age: 0  
1C. Blink Eyes & Squeeze Hands: 0  
2. Best Gaze: 0  
3. Visual: 0  
4. Facial Palsy: 2  
5A. Motor - Left Arm: 2  
5B. Motor - Right Arm: 0  
6A. Motor - Left Leg: 2  
6B. Motor - Right Leg: 0  
7. Limb Ataxia: 0  
8. Sensory Loss: 1  
9. Best Language: 1  
10. Dysarthria: 1  
11. Extinction and Inattention: 0  
Total: 9/42

The assistant generates a comprehensive physical exam tailored to the clinical context. For a suspected stroke, this means a thorough neurologic assessment along with a screening of other relevant systems. It also incorporates appropriate scoring systems, like the NIHSS or GCS, when indicated. The result is a complete examination that documents all pertinent findings for your clinical scenario.

Smart & Relevant Exams

The Physical Exam Assistant understands clinical context. When you enter chest pain, it automatically generates a detailed cardiovascular and pulmonary examination. Abdominal pain triggers comprehensive GI and GU assessments. Trauma cases get systematic surveys with focused injury evaluations. Headache complaints receive thorough neurologic and HEENT exams.

Every exam follows expert documentation practices and proper medical terminology & abbreviations. The assistant organizes findings systematically, detailing relevant systems while screening others. Findings are captured to align with the clinical context and anchor the medical decision-making. The result: you get thorough, clinically sound documentation in seconds.

See the Physical Exam Assistant in action:

The Physical Exam Assistant generates comprehensive, complaint-specific physical examinations from minimal input:

Flexible Follow-Up and Customization

Real-Time Modifications

Easily adjust the generated exam with natural language commands:

Expand specific systems:

• Expand the neurologic section with more detail
• Add a complete musculoskeletal exam
• Include a detailed psychiatric assessment

Modify clinical findings:

• Change NIHSS to 8
• Add bilateral lower extremity edema
• Note patient is intubated and sedated

Adjust documentation style:

• Format as bullet points
• Use more concise language
• Add more pertinent negatives

Customize the Output

Customize palmER to match your preferred format by using Documentation Preferences:

Format using our physical exam template:
- Vital Signs:
- General Appearance:
- HEENT:
- Cardiovascular:
- Pulmonary:
- Abdomen:
- Neurologic:
- Skin:
- Extremities:

Progressive Documentation

Build the exam as you evaluate the patient:

1. Initial generation: Basic exam based on chief complaint
2. Add findings: Patient has 3/6 systolic murmur at LUSB
3. Include procedures: After intubation, bilateral breath sounds equal
4. Update status: Post-sedation, patient arousable to voice

Your Exams, Faster and Better

The Physical Exam Assistant transforms how you document patient encounters. Charting the exam shouldn't take longer than the actual exam itself. Generate complete, clinically appropriate physical exams in seconds instead of digging through templates or clicking repetitive normal findings. The system understands clinical context and automatically details the relevant body systems while screening others.

Every exam uses proper medical terminology and follows documentation best practices and medico-legal expert recommendations. You get the right level of detail without missing critical elements or carrying forward outdated template sections. When you need to modify findings, just tell the assistant what changed and it updates instantly.

Built for Emergency Medicine

The assistant adapts to your clinical reality. Whether you're documenting a stroke with automatic NIHSS scoring, a trauma with primary and secondary surveys, or a psychiatric presentation with mental status assessment, the assistant generates the documentation you need. Pediatric cases get age-appropriate exam techniques automatically. Findings are documented to support your medical decision-making and treatment choices. The result is thorough, defensible documentation that stands up to scrutiny.

Real-World Applications

Fast track shifts move faster when you can generate focused exams for low-acuity complaints without sacrificing quality. During busy shifts, maintain documentation standards even when time is short. Residents see examples of proper exam documentation for every presentation. Your department gains consistency across clinicians and builds defensible records.

The Physical Exam Assistant isn't about replacing clinical judgment. It's about giving you back the time spent on documentation mechanics so you can focus on patient care.

Pro Tips for Best Results

Input Optimization

• Include acuity level - stable vs critical changes exam focus
• Note procedures - intubated or sedated modifies neurologic exam
• Mention timing - on arrival vs after treatment provides context
• Add vital signs - Abnormal vitals guide examination emphasis

Common Use Cases

Stroke/Neurologic:

72F, acute onset LLE LUE weakness, slurred speech 

Chest Pain:

58M, substernal chest pressure x 2 hours radiating to RUE, diaphoretic

Trauma:

23 y/o male, MVA, unrestrained driver, c/o chest and abdominal pain, stable vitals

Pediatric:

3yo, fever and irritability x 2 days, coughing, looks well, no vomiting