Improved systems and methods for collecting 
Protected Health Information (PHI) with or without the assistance of a physician scribe are described. Documenting a 
patient encounter utilizing a template-based charting 
system (either electronic or paper-based), and the tracking of this 
document status and patient clinical status throughout the encounter, for purposes of managing multiple patients and multiple patients' documents, as well as improved communication between providers and assistants. The systems and methods of this invention generally comprise an 
electronic records system for creating and maintaining information in 
electronic records; 
patient tracking system (either computerized or not) for managing tasks specific to provider 
documentation of specific 
clinical care actions and patient clinical status; complimentary utilization of 
medical history questionnaires which are designed to correlate with template-based charting tools; methods of communication between provider assistants (including physician assistants, nurses, secretaries, scribes, patients, or other assistants) to convey the status of the collection and management of the PHI, including patient history, 
patient examination, testing results, 
medical decision making, patient disposition plan, follow-up information and other elements of provider charting of PHI; sequence of 
patient tracking indicators that represent steps in the care of the patient, status of the document, and clinical or 
documentation-related tasks for completion by providers or provider assistants; improvements on a real-time compliance system for identifying the specific stage or status of each electronic 
record, and allowing providers and assistants to track this 
completion status, thereby streamlining 
documentation and compliance workflows.