PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Brian G. Mansfield TI - How bad are medical records? A review of the notes received by a practice DP - 1986 Sep 01 TA - The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners PG - 405--406 VI - 36 IP - 290 4099 - http://bjgp.org/content/36/290/405.short 4100 - http://bjgp.org/content/36/290/405.full SO - J R Coll Gen Pract1986 Sep 01; 36 AB - One hundred and fifty-five medical records received by a practice as a result of transfer of care were examined. It was found that the marital status was recorded for 30% of patients aged over 16 years and the occupation noted for only 15% of patients of working age. Twentythree per cent of the notes included a summary of the patient's history and 39% contained an immunization record. Of the notes for women aged between 16 and 60 years 48% contained a recent cervical smear report. This percentage increased to 61% for women aged 35—60 years. Of the entries examined 86.2% were legible. It is concluded that either doctors do not know as much about their patients as they should or they attempt to carry too much information in their heads.