Understanding the visit Summary

In the left sidebar, click Visits, then click the visit. The visit Summary appears near the top of a visit chart on desktop and tablet. On phone visits, Summary is hidden and does not appear in the mobile section strip or canvas. The Summary section appears before the enabled charting sections for that visit, such as Vitals, diagnoses, observations, allergies, medications, supplements, recommendations and procedures.

What is the visit Summary?

On desktop and tablet, the visit Summary is a short briefing section for the visit. It gives the care team one place to review or add key context before or during the encounter. On phone visits, the section is hidden.

Use Summary (1) to review the briefing in the chart. Use Visit sections (2) to move through the visit sections, and use Next charting sections (3) to see the clinical sections that follow Summary on this visit.

The Summary is part of the visit record. When content is available, Ona displays it as formatted text. If the visit does not have summary text yet, the section shows an empty state.

The Summary is separate from the structured charting sections. Items such as vitals, diagnoses, observations, allergies, medications, supplements, recommendations and procedures remain in their own sections when those sections are enabled for your organization.

When should I use the visit Summary?

On the same page, use the Summary when you want a quick read before opening the rest of the chart. It sits near the top of the visit on those screens so the main context is visible first.

Use Summary (1) to check the briefing area, Add summary (2) to start a new summary when the section is empty, and Choose template (3) to pick the note style for this visit.

You can also use it during a visit if the displayed summary needs a manual correction. Click Edit to change an existing summary, or Add summary when the summary is empty. Save concise briefing text that belongs in that section.

If you need to work through the visit itself, use the visit charting sections and notes workflow. See Creating and running a visit, Recording visits with Ambient Scribe and Reviewing and signing an AI-drafted note.

How does the visit Summary work?

On the same page, Ona loads the Summary from the visit record when that section is shown. If there is summary text, it appears in the section. If there is no summary text, the section stays empty until content is added or created for the visit.

Use Template (1) to choose the note template for this visit, Edit summary text (2) to change the summary body, Cancel (3) to leave edit mode without keeping changes, and Save (4) to keep the edited summary.

When the summary is being regenerated, summary actions are unavailable until that work finishes. If you are not editing, Template and Edit or Add summary are disabled. If you are editing, Template, Cancel and Save are disabled. They are also disabled when the visit is read-only because the patient or visit is archived.

When you save an edit, the updated text replaces the previous summary in the section.

How do summary templates work for a visit?

On the same page, the Template menu sets the note style used for that visit’s briefing. Choose a template when this visit needs a different style. Choose None to clear the visit-specific template selection.

Use Template (1) to open the template picker, Edit summary text (2) to change the summary body, Cancel (3) to leave without keeping changes, and Save (4) to apply the visit summary update.

If an organization default applies, the Template button may show that template name even when no visit-specific template has been selected. Selecting another template saves it for this visit.

Owners and admins see Edit templates in the Template menu. Clinicians and staff can choose from available templates here, but they do not see Edit templates. On a read-only visit, the template picker is disabled.

See Building note templates for template setup.

What are the limits of the visit Summary?

On the same page, you cannot edit the summary while Ona is saving the summary or regenerating it. The summary action buttons are disabled until that work finishes. They are also disabled on read-only visits, and the visit page shows an archived/read-only banner. On phone visits, the Summary section is hidden from the mobile canvas and section strip.

Use Choose template (1) to pick a summary template when the menu is available, and use Add summary (2) when the section is empty and you want to start a summary.

If no note templates exist, the Template menu has no templates to choose from.

The Summary does not replace the visit note. It is a briefing section on the visit chart. Use the visit notes workflow when you need a clinical note to review and sign.

Common questions

Where do I find the visit Summary?

The briefing appears as Summary near the top of the visit chart on desktop and tablet.

Can I edit the Summary?

Yes. Click Edit when summary text exists, or Add summary when it is empty. Click Save to store the change or Cancel to leave it unchanged.

Why are the Summary buttons disabled?

The buttons are disabled while Ona is saving the summary or regenerating it. Wait for that work to finish, then try again.

Can clinicians edit summary templates?

Clinicians can choose an available Template for the visit summary. The Edit templates link is shown only to owners and admins.

Is the Summary the same as the signed note?

No. Summary is a briefing section on the visit chart. Use the visit notes workflow for the clinical note that is reviewed and signed.