Therapy Caseload Mix: Why Some Days Are Harder
Two days with the same number of patients can feel completely different. The reason is usually the mix: how many evaluations, re-evaluations, discharges and high-needs patients are on the schedule. Each brings more documentation, and documentation is usually non-billable.
By the Best Therapy Productivity Calculator team · Last updated October 2026
How does mix change the day?
These are example times. Swap in your own.
| Visit type | Example treatment min | Example documentation min |
|---|---|---|
| Routine treatment | 45 | 6 |
| Evaluation | 60 | 25 |
| Re-evaluation / progress report | 45 | 15 |
| Discharge | 45 | 15 |
Day A vs Day B (8-hour paid day, 85% target)
| Day A | Day B | |
|---|---|---|
| Visits | 9 routine | 6 routine + 2 evals + 1 discharge |
| Treatment minutes | 405 | 270 + 120 + 45 = 435 |
| Documentation minutes | 54 | 36 + 50 + 15 = 101 |
| Productivity | 84.4% | 90.6% |
| Non-billable left after notes (480 − treatment − notes) | 21 | −56 |
Day B has better productivity and is impossible to finish on the clock. Treatment plus notes add up to 536 minutes in a 480-minute day.
How can you balance the mix?
- Spread evaluations across the week instead of stacking them on one day
- Protect a documentation block on days with two or more evaluations
- Tell the scheduler what a “heavy” day looks like for you
- Track one week of visit types and note times so you can show the pattern
How do you raise mix with a manager?
Bring the numbers: “Two evaluations and a discharge add about 47 minutes of documentation compared with routine visits. With treatment and notes together, that day runs 56 minutes past my paid time.” That’s a scheduling conversation, not a performance one.
Frequently asked questions
Do evaluations count toward productivity?
Usually yes for the time with the patient. The write-up often doesn’t count.
Should evaluations be weighted higher?
Some employers and home health agencies weight them higher. See the home health points calculator.
How many evaluations a day is too many?
There’s no standard. It depends on evaluation length, write-up time and your setting.
Related: Therapy caseload calculator · Documentation time calculator · Time blocking for therapists