Creating a Blank Protocol for Customized Patient Care 📝

In clinical practice, not every patient fits into a pre-defined mold. While exercise libraries are essential for efficiency, providers often encounter unique cases that require a highly individualized touch. In these instances, creating a permanent protocol in the general library might lead to unnecessary clutter. Instead, the most effective approach is to utilize a Blank Protocol.

This method allows providers to start with a "clean slate" for specific patients, ensuring their care plan is tailored to their exact needs without impacting the standard library.

The Strategy: Why Go Blank?

There are two primary scenarios where a blank protocol is the superior choice:

1. The Unique Case: A patient presents with a condition or a combination of factors that are not repeatable for others.

2. The Constant Customizer: A provider prefers to build every plan from scratch at the moment of care, using the blank protocol as a digital "piece of paper."

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Phase 1: Creating the Template

To begin, the provider must create a "shell" that can be pulled into any patient account.

1. Navigate to the Library: Go to the Home Exercise Tab. By default, this opens the Exercise Library; from here, click on the Protocol List and select Create.

2. Naming and Logic: Name the template something easily identifiable, such as "Blank Protocol Progression."

   • Note: Choosing a Progression Protocol is often ideal, as it allows patients to "climb the ladder" of difficulty as they improve.

3. Setting Placeholders: A protocol cannot be saved without content. The provider should insert placeholder exercises—typically three in the Relieve phase and one each in the Restore and Reinforce phases. These specific exercises do not matter, as they will be swapped out later.

4. Save: Once the placeholders are in, save the protocol to the library.

Phase 2: Customizing for the Patient

Once the shell is created, it can be applied and customized for a specific case, such as a patient with low back pain.

1. Assign to Patient: Go to the specific patient’s account, navigate to Home Exercises, and click Create. Select the "Blank Protocol Progression" from the list.

2. Set to Pending: This is a critical step. Do not approve the protocol yet. By setting it to Pending, the provider ensures the patient does not receive the random placeholder exercises while the plan is still being built.

3. The "Swap and Add" Method:

   • Edit Placeholders: Open the pending protocol and replace the placeholders with relevant movements (e.g., Cat-Cow, Child’s Pose, or Pelvic Tilts).

   • Building Depth: Use the "Add After" function to insert new rows. This allows the provider to build a robust progression—for example, adding a Bird Dog as a baseline and a Donkey Kick as a "harder" progression if the first becomes too easy.

4. Scaling Difficulty: A well-built protocol should include both regressions (easier options) and progressions (harder options). For instance, a standard Plank can be supplemented with a "Plank from Knees" for days when the patient needs a modification.

Phase 3: Finalizing the Plan

After the provider has mapped out the journey from pain relief to functional movement, the final step is to click Approve.

The protocol will then load into the patient's app. If a progression model was used, the patient will see their initial exercises (indicated in blue); as they mark movements as "too easy," the system will automatically graduate them to the next level of the plan.

By mastering the blank protocol workflow, you can maintain a clean, organized library while delivering truly bespoke care to every patient who walks through the door.

Check out this quick video to see it in action: