Medical Chart Divider Sections: A Setup Guide

By John Anselmo · Owner and President, Anselmo Die & Index · making custom index tabs since 1993

Short answer

Most patient charts use demographics and insurance, history and physical, progress notes, labs, imaging, medications and correspondence, usually on a 1/8 or 1/10 cut. Tabzoola prints chart dividers to your practice's own section names, in wipe-clean poly or paper.

This guide comes from the shop floor: Tabzoola manufactures custom medical chart dividers to order in Schaumburg, Illinois — Tabzoola's tabs are made at the Anselmo Die & Index, Inc. plant, die-cutting index tabs since 1993 — so the section lists below are the ones practices actually print, not a catalog's guess.

A patient chart is only as fast as its dividers. When every chart in the records room uses the same labeled, color-coded sections, staff flip straight to labs, medications, or consents without hunting — and new charts assemble identically every time.

This guide covers how to set up medical chart dividers: the sections most practices use, the tab cut that fits them, and how to choose between wipe-clean poly and Mylar-reinforced paper.

The standard medical chart sections

Most practices divide a chart into a familiar set of sections. Start from this list and rename to match your own workflow:

Demographics / Patient Information
History & Physical
Progress Notes
Labs & Diagnostics (labs, EKG, imaging, consults)
Medications / MAR
Consents & Legal
Insurance & Billing
Correspondence & Misc

Pick the right tab cut for a chart

Charts pack more sections into a page than an office binder, so they use narrower tabs. A 1/8 cut gives eight side-tab positions per bank (each tab 1.25" tall); a 1/10 cut gives ten (1.00" tall). Count your sections — if they exceed one bank, the set continues in a second staggered bank so every tab stays visible.

Not sure how many positions you need? The tab cut calculator lays out the banks from your section count.

Poly vs. paper for medical records

Records rooms handle charts constantly, so durability decides the material. Poly (plastic) chart dividers for medical records are water-resistant and wipe clean, which is why high-volume practices prefer them. Paper with Mylar on every tab costs less, and optional edge reinforcing stops tearing at the holes. Both take standard 3-hole punching and can print on one or both sides.

Color-code for across-the-room lookup

Assign each section a color so staff can spot the right divider at a glance — labs one color, medications another, billing a third. Custom medical chart dividers and patient chart tabs let you set both the section names and the colors, then arrive collated so every chart is built the same way. Design yours in the online tab designer with live pricing and a free PDF proof before anything prints.

Frequently asked questions

What sections should a patient chart have?

Most charts run on a familiar spine: demographics and insurance, history and physical, progress notes, labs, imaging, medications, and correspondence. Build the set your practice actually uses — because the tabs are custom printed, you are not limited to a stock section list.

What tab cut works best for medical chart dividers?

Charts usually carry a lot of sections, so smaller cuts like 1/8 or 1/10 fit more tabs across the page without crowding the text. We offer every standard cut from 1/2 to 1/15.

Should medical chart dividers be paper or poly?

Poly is wipe-clean and tear-resistant, which suits charts that are handled daily for years. Paper with Mylar reinforcement costs less and holds up well in charts that are filed more than they are flipped.

Related pages & free resources

Browse custom index tabs — paper & poly Small-batch custom tabs — from 25 sets Custom medical chart tabs & dividers — design yours →Free 1/8-cut chart tab template (PDF)Free 1/10-cut chart tab template (PDF)Tab cut calculator — sections → cut & banks Healthcare tab dividers — the full care-setting range

Print these sections onto your chart dividers

Your own section names and colors, collated so every chart is built the same. An 8-tab set is $2.44 at 250 sets, with a free PDF proof.

Paper Tabs Poly Tabs