Clinical note addenda and finalization
Lock the original visit note, then amend with timestamped, author-stamped addenda.
Clinical notes carry medico-legal weight. Crownly lets you finalize a visit note in one click, which freezes the original clinical fields and routes any further changes into timestamped, author-stamped addenda. Visits also auto-lock 24 hours after they are marked done, so the audit trail never depends on the staff remembering to click.
The problem this removes
Silent edits to a clinical note hours or days later are a record-keeping liability. Without a clear original-versus-addenda split, there is no way to defend what was actually written at the time of the visit.
How Note addenda works in Crownly
- •One-click Finalize on every appointment's clinical-notes block
- •Auto-lock 24 hours after status flips to done
- •Locked notes render read-only beside an addenda timeline
- •Each addendum captures author email and a server-side timestamp
- •Appended via Firestore arrayUnion - safe under concurrent edits
- •Original fields and addenda persist forever - never deleted, never silently rewritten
Questions about Note addenda
What is a clinical note addendum?
An addendum is a timestamped, author-stamped entry appended to a finalized clinical note. The original note stays read-only; the addendum captures any clarification, correction, or follow-up observation made later. Together they form a defensible audit trail.
When does Crownly auto-lock a note?
Twenty-four hours after the appointment status is marked done. Inside that window you can still edit the original clinical fields (typos, missed wire size, late observations). After it, edits route into addenda only. You can also click Finalize at any time to lock immediately.
Who can add an addendum?
Any team member with access to the patient. Each addendum records the author email and a Firestore server timestamp, so the trail is attributable even when multiple staff edit the same chart.
Can I delete an addendum?
No. Addenda are append-only. If a correction is needed, add another addendum noting the correction. This preserves the medico-legal value of the record.
Related features
Appointment scheduling
Book, reschedule, and track every appointment with status at a glance.
Clinical note templates
Quick-fill snippets for clinical notes, filtered by specialty and visit subtype.
Patient records
A complete digital chart for every patient, accessible from anywhere.
Team and roles
Add staff with role-based permissions, scoped to one or many clinics.
Ready to run note addenda on Crownly?
Start a free 30 day trial. No credit card required.