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Exporting Medical Records

Download, print, or email a patient’s medical records directly from their profile or individual SOAP notes to securely share medical history and documentation.

Updated this week

Purpose

Exporting medical records allows veterinary teams to securely share patient history with clients, referral hospitals, or other providers. Shepherd provides multiple export methods so practices can download, print, or send records electronically depending on the situation.

Records can be exported from the patient’s profile to include multiple visits or from an individual SOAP note when only a specific appointment record is needed. Export options allow teams to control the date range, included documents, and how the information is delivered.

Where to Find Medical Record Exports

Patient Profile → History tab

Export tools are available from both:

  • The History tab for full medical record exports

  • Individual SOAP notes for exporting or emailing a single visit record

Exporting Medical Records from the Patient Profile

From the patient’s History tab, you can export the patient’s complete medical history using three delivery options.

  1. Navigate to the Patient Profile

  2. Select the History tab

  3. Choose one of the available export actions:

    • Send via Email

    • Download

    • Print

  4. Select which information to include in the export

  5. Choose whether to include:

    • All SOAP notes

    • Only locked SOAP notes

  6. Set the date range:

    • All Time

    • Between Dates

  7. Complete the export based on the selected method

SOAP notes are always included in medical record exports. The locked SOAP toggle allows you to limit the export to finalized notes only.

Emailing Medical Records

Medical records can be emailed as a secure download link directly from the patient profile.

  1. From the History tab, click the Send Email icon (paper plane)

  2. Choose which details to include in the export

  3. Select whether to include:

    • All SOAP notes

    • Only locked SOAP notes

  4. Set the date range

  5. Verify or update the recipient email address

  6. Review or edit the email subject and message

  7. Click Email

Shepherd automatically includes a professional default email subject and message with download instructions and expiration details. The message can be edited before sending. Blank emails are not allowed.

Recipient Experience

When records are emailed:

  • The recipient receives a secure download link

  • The link remains active for 10 days

Important behavior:

  • PDF files included in the patient history must be downloaded separately

  • They are not bundled with the rest of the exported files

Downloading the Medical Record

Downloading records creates a local file containing the selected documents.

  1. From the History tab, click the Download icon

  2. Select which information to include

  3. Choose whether to include:

    • All SOAP notes

    • Only locked SOAP notes

  4. Set the date range

  5. Select Export

The records download as a .zip file containing:

  • Individual PDF files for each SOAP note

  • Associated lab results included as separate PDF files

Keeping documents separate makes it easier to upload or share specific records when needed.

If lab results were uploaded after the appointment date, expand the date range to include the upload date so the files are included in the export.

Printing the Medical Record

Printing generates a browser-ready version of the selected records.

  1. From the History tab, click the Download icon

  2. Choose which information to include

  3. Select whether to include:

    • All SOAP notes

    • Only locked SOAP notes

  4. Set the date range

  5. Select Print

A new browser tab opens with a printable version of the medical record, ready for printing.

Exporting or Emailing an Individual SOAP

You can export or email a specific SOAP note directly from within the visit record.

  1. Navigate to the Patient Profile

  2. Open the History tab

  3. Select the SOAP note you want to export

  4. In the SOAP summary panel, click the three-dot menu

  5. Choose one of the following options:

    • Export SOAP

    • Export SOAP w/o Discharges

    • Export Documents

    • Email SOAP

Exporting the SOAP

Selecting an export option downloads the SOAP note to your computer.

Exports are delivered as a .zip file containing:

  • The SOAP note as a PDF

  • Any attached documents or lab results as separate PDFs

Each document remains separate, making it easier to organize or share individual files.

Emailing the SOAP

  1. Select Email SOAP

  2. Confirm or update the recipient email address

  3. Add or edit the subject and message

  4. To include discharge instructions, enable Include Discharge Instructions

  5. Click Send

The recipient receives an email with a secure download link for the SOAP file. The download link remains active for 10 days from the time the email is sent.

Notes and Troubleshooting

  • SOAP notes are always included in medical record exports.

  • The Locked SOAP Only option ensures only finalized notes are shared.

  • Lab results added after the appointment date may require expanding the export date range to include the upload date.

  • Exported downloads are delivered as .zip files containing individual PDFs, not a single combined document.

  • Email links expire after 10 days and must be resent if access is needed again.

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