Common questions
Where do my patient names actually live?
Scrambled on the app’s servers, with a readable working copy on your phone. The servers can’t read the names. See Where your data lives.
Can the people running the app read my patient names?
No. Even with full access to the servers, the patient names are scrambled with a key derived from your backup password, which only your phone sees.
What can the people running the app see?
Procedure, date, hospital, side, complications, notes. Everything except the patient name and MRN. Plus your account email, display name, and specialty.
What if I forget my backup password?
If you have at least one device where the vault is still unlocked, change the password from Settings → Security — your data stays readable. If you don’t have any unlocked device, you’ll have to reset your vault, which keeps your cases but loses the patient names on them. See Your backup password.
What’s a “Lost in reset” label?
A case where the scrambled patient name on the servers can’t be unlocked by your current key — usually because you reset your vault at some point. Tap the label to re-enter the name, or to delete the case. The app fixes most of these on its own when your phone still has a readable copy.
A device is showing blank or old patient names — what happened?
That device is holding an out-of-date key (common on an older phone or one you signed in on early). The names are safe; the device just needs the current key. The app usually offers a one-tap fix on the unlock screen — or go to Settings → Backup & recovery → Resync. There’s a single Resync button now; it works out what’s out of step and fixes it for you. See Using a new or lost phone.
Why did the auto-fill change “C-arm” to “fluoroscopy”?
The app normalises informal terms into standard procedure language so case statistics stay consistent across surgeons. If you don’t like the change, edit the case and put your preferred wording back — the auto-fill won’t overwrite anything you’ve set manually.
Why did the auto-fill miss medical terms in my dictation?
The transcription is done on your phone (so no audio is ever sent to a server), and the model that does it is smaller than the one that analyses the text. Some uncommon terms come out wrong. Read the transcript before tapping Capture and edit anything that needs fixing.
Can I import old cases from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Use the Import a spreadsheet link on your case list to bring in a backlog — the app reads your hospital sheet, shows you a preview of what it found, and only writes the cases once you confirm. See Capturing cases.
Re-uploading the same sheet is safe — you won’t get duplicates. If you import a sheet you’ve already imported (or a newer version with extra rows), the app recognises the cases already on file and adds only the genuinely new ones. The matching uses a one-way code built from each case’s MRN — never the patient’s name, and nothing your phone has to decrypt — so it works even on a fresh device. Two genuine same-day operations on one patient still come through as two cases. (One thing it can’t catch: if the same patient appears under two different MRNs across sheets, that reads as two patients — there’s no reliable way to know they’re the same person from the numbers alone.)
Verification keeps working after the import. A case you imported before its hospital settlement sheet arrived stays unconfirmed for now, but the app re-checks your cases on every authoritative import — so older cases get confirmed automatically once their sheet lands. You can also tap Re-verify now under Settings → Backup & recovery to re-check everything on demand. This only ever upgrades a case to confirmed; it never undoes a confirmation. (No patient name or MRN ever leaves your device — the matching uses a one-way code the server can’t read back.)
How do I produce a logbook for credentialing or an interview?
Go to Settings → Backup & recovery. Two exports live there:
- Logbook summary — procedure counts, split into performed and assisted: the at-a-glance answer to “what is your operative experience?” for boards and interviews.
- Credentialing logbook — one row per case (date, MRN, age and sex, procedure, hospital, role, verification status) for a credentialing body to inspect. It contains no patient names — the MRN identifies the case, which keeps the document safe to hand over.
Pick the scope first — specialty (your own is preselected), hospital, and date range. Then either download a spreadsheet file (CSV), or open the printable report and use your browser’s print dialog to save it as a PDF. The printable report includes a signature line so a consultant or head of department can sign it off. Both documents are built entirely on your device — the servers play no part. See Where your data lives for what goes into each export.
What happens if I capture a case while offline?
The app queues your capture and sends it when the network comes back. The auto-fill (procedure, side, etc.) waits until you’re online.
How do I delete a case?
Open the case → tap the … menu → Delete. Type “DELETE” to confirm. The case stops showing up. If you delete by accident, email support — recovery is possible.
How do I change my email?
Email support@caselogbook.com with your old and new addresses. There’s no self-service email change yet.
How do I close my account?
Email support@caselogbook.com and ask. Account closure includes a wipe of your case data.
Is anything sent to other companies’ AI services?
The text analysis (filling in procedure, side, role from your notes) goes to one AI provider’s API. Voice transcription happens entirely on your phone — no audio leaves it. Magic-link emails go through one email-sending service. That’s all.
Where do I report a bug or request a feature?
Email support@caselogbook.com. Include a screenshot if you have one.