How Should a Clinic Log Issues During a Soft Opening?

Published September 23, 2026 · 2 minute read · General information, not legal advice. Your licensing regulators decide what applies to you.

During a soft opening, log every issue in one place as it happens: what occurred, where in the workflow, who noticed, who owns the fix, and whether a document needs revising as a result. A soft opening is a test. The log is the result of the test. Without it, the lessons from the first days are lost the moment the schedule fills.

What counts as an issue

Anything that caused a delay, a workaround, confusion, or a repeated question. A form a patient could not follow. A software step that needed help. A supply that was not where the list said. An intake question that staff skipped. Small issues matter here because they are cheap to fix now and expensive once they become habit.

Keep it low-friction

If logging an issue takes more than a minute, people stop doing it. Use a single sheet or a shared list with a few short fields. One person reviews the log at the end of each day and assigns owners. Clinical questions are routed to the accountable prescriber, not resolved at the front desk.

Closing the loop

Each issue closes with a note of what changed. If the change touched a document, record the document and its new revision number. Review the full log at the end of the soft opening and carry unresolved items into the first-30-days review.

What to record

• Date and time noticed
• Description of the issue
• Workflow step or document involved
• Who noticed it
• Owner of the fix and due date
• Resolution and date closed
• Document revised, with new revision number

This log fits the sequence in Opening an IV Hydration Clinic. Unresolved items carry into the first 30 days review.