How to Document Changes Without Wasting Time
The "Data Tells the Story" Philosophy
We have established that facilities change hands (e.g., "Norwood Clinic" becomes "Complete Health"). When this happens, our goal is to update the record accurately.
However, a common mistake is over-documentation.
The Principle: You do not need to write a paragraph in the "Notes" column explaining what happened. The fact that you changed the "Name" column and the "URL" column tells us everything we need to know. We want to eliminate redundant work to speed up your workflow.
The Deep Dive Investigation
When a facility is acquired, they often move physical locations or consolidate offices. You cannot simply flag an address as "wrong"—you must try to find the new one.
Case Study: The "Find a Clinic" Technique
- Scenario: You find that "Norwood Clinic" was bought by "Complete Health."
- The Mistake: You find the main "Complete Health" homepage, paste that as the URL, and flag the address because it doesn't match the old one.
- The Correct Action:
- Go to the new owner's website ("Complete Health").
- Click "Find a Location" or "Our Clinics."
- Search for the specific city (e.g., Birmingham) or the specific specialty (Radiology/Cardiology).
- Find the specific branch. You might discover the facility moved to "Brookwood Blvd."
- Capture the Data: Copy the address of that specific branch and the phone number.
The Golden Rule: Always aim for the Location-Specific URL.
- Bad:
www.completehealth.com(Too general). - Good:
www.completehealth.com/locations/brookwood-medical-center(Perfect).
3. Note-Taking Protocols: "Do This, Not That"
Writing narrative notes slows you down. Follow this guide to streamline your entry process.
| Scenario | DON'T Do This (Wastes Time) | DO This (Efficient) |
| Name Change | Note: "Facility changed name from Norwood to Complete Health." | Just change the Name column to "Complete Health." |
| Dead Link | Note: "Website 404 Error: Page not found." | Just update the URL to the new working link. |
| Acquisition | Note: "This place was bought by a larger group 2 years ago." | Update the Name and URL. No note needed. |
| Missing Data | Flagging the empty address cell and moving on. | Find the address on the new website and fill in the blank cell. |
When to use Notes: Only use the Notes column for unsolvable mysteries (e.g., "Address changed, but I cannot find the new address anywhere online").
Visual Hygiene (Highlighting)
- Stop Over-Highlighting: Do not highlight every record you change in yellow.
- Why? We can already see which records you changed by looking at the version history or the "Last Updated" metadata.
- When to Highlight: Only use yellow highlights for records you are personally stuck on and need to return to within your own session. If you have finished the record, remove the highlight.
Summary
- Don't Narrate: If you update the Name/URL/Address columns, you don't need to write a note explaining why. The data update is the explanation.
- Fill in Blanks: If an address was missing in the original file, don't just flag it. Find it on the website and add it.
- Be Specific: Always hunt for the specific location page on a website, not just the homepage.
- Check for Moves: When a business is bought, they often move. Verify the address on the new "Locations" page.