Which statement about physical examination documentation is true?

• A. It uses 12 organ systems and 5 body areas
• B. It uses 10 organ systems and 7 body areas
• C. It uses 12 organ systems and 7 body areas
• D. It uses 12 organ systems and 7 body areas

Answer: (C)

Physical examination documentation is organized to capture findings across a broad set of organ systems and to group those findings by defined body regions. In standard scribe templates, the PE includes 12 organ systems, such as constitutional/general, eyes, ENT, neck, cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, GU, musculoskeletal, integumentary, neurological, and psychiatric. It is also arranged around seven body areas that clinicians review for objective findings—head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, extremities, and back. This structure is why the statement describing 12 organ systems and 7 body areas fits the common documentation approach. The other options change the counts and don’t align with the typical template.