Audit Logs - Paw & Care

Overview

Audit logs provide a comprehensive, immutable record of all actions performed in Paw & Care. Every medical record access, data modification, user login, and system setting change is automatically logged with complete details including who, what, when, and where.

Audit logs are append-only and cannot be modified or deleted, ensuring data integrity for compliance and legal requirements.

What Gets Logged

Logged Actions

The audit system tracks nine primary action types:

Create

New records created:

Patient profiles
Medical records
Appointments
Users
Templates

Update

Modifications to existing data:

Medical record edits
Patient information changes
Appointment rescheduling
Practice settings updates

Delete

Deletion events:

Record deletion (soft delete)
User deactivation
Template archival
Document removal

View

Data access tracking:

Medical record viewing
Patient profile access
Sensitive data export
Financial report viewing

Export

Data export operations:

Medical record PDF export
Practice data export
Report generation
Backup downloads

Login

Authentication events:

Successful logins
Failed login attempts
Session creation
Device information

Logout

Session termination:

Manual logout
Session timeout
Forced logout
Device change

Settings Change

Configuration updates:

Practice settings
Template modifications
AI voice configuration
Integration changes

Status Change

Workflow transitions:

Medical record finalization
Appointment status updates
User role changes
Billing status changes

Logged Information

Each audit entry captures comprehensive context:

Audit Log Entry Structure

interface AuditLogEntry {
  id: string;                    // Unique entry ID
  userId: string;                // User who performed action
  userName: string;              // Full name of user
  action: AuditAction;           // Type of action (create, update, etc.)
  resource: string;              // Resource type (e.g., "Medical Record")
  resourceId: string;            // Specific resource ID
  details: string;               // Human-readable description
  ipAddress?: string;            // IP address (when available)
  timestamp: string;             // ISO 8601 timestamp
}

Example Entry:

{
  "id": "log-20260305-12345",
  "userId": "vet_kim_001",
  "userName": "Dr. Sarah Kim",
  "action": "update",
  "resource": "Medical Record",
  "resourceId": "rec_67890",
  "details": "Finalized SOAP note for Buddy (Annual Wellness)",
  "ipAddress": "192.168.1.15",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T14:32:18Z"
}

Accessing Audit Logs

Web Application

Audit log access requires Practice Manager role. Veterinarians and other staff cannot view audit logs.

Navigate to Audit Logs

From the web application, click Settings → Audit Log in the left sidebar.

View Recent Activity

The default view shows the most recent 100 log entries, sorted by timestamp (newest first).

Filter and Search

Use the filter controls to narrow results:

Search: Text search across user names, resources, and details
Action Filter: Filter by specific action types
User Filter: View actions by specific team members
Date Range: Custom date picker for historical logs

Export Results

Click Export to download filtered results as CSV for compliance reporting or external analysis.

Audit Log Interface

The audit log viewer provides an intuitive interface for monitoring system activity:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🛡️  AUDIT LOG                                                    │
│                                                                    │
│ [Search logs...] [🗓️ All Actions ▼] [👥 All Users ▼]      │
│                                                                    │
│ 742 log entries                                                   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                    │
│ 🟢 Dr. Sarah Kim  [Updated]  [Medical Record]               │
│    Finalized medical record for Buddy (SOAP)                      │
│    🕒 2m ago • Mar 5, 10:45 AM                                    │
│                                                                    │
│ 🟢 Dr. Michael Rivera  [Created]  [Medical Record]          │
│    Created dental chart record for Luna                           │
│    🕒 1d ago • Mar 4, 2:30 PM                                     │
│                                                                    │
│ 🟡 Admin User  [Settings Changed]  [Template]                 │
│    Updated default template to SOAP-Specialist                    │
│    🕒 1d ago • Mar 4, 9:00 AM                                     │
│                                                                    │
│ 🔵 Dr. Sarah Kim  [Viewed]  [Medical Record]                  │
│    Viewed medical record for Whiskers                             │
│    🕒 2d ago • Mar 3, 4:30 PM                                     │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Color Coding:

🟢 Green: Create actions
🔵 Blue: Update/Edit actions
🔴 Red: Delete actions
🔵 Gray: View/Read-only actions
🟣 Purple: Export actions
🟢 Emerald: Login events
🟡 Amber: Logout events
🟠 Orange: Settings changes
🔵 Teal: Status changes

Common Audit Scenarios

Tracking Medical Record Access

Use Case: Verify who accessed a specific patient’s medical records

Search by Patient Name

Enter the patient’s name (e.g., “Max”) in the search box.

Filter by Resource Type

Select Medical Record from the resource filter dropdown.

Review Access Log

Results show all users who viewed, created, or modified records for that patient, including:

Timestamp of access
User who accessed
Action performed (view, update, finalize)
IP address of access

Example Results:

Dr. Sarah Kim - Viewed medical record for Max - Mar 5, 5:00 PM
Dr. Sarah Kim - Updated medical record for Max - Mar 5, 5:15 PM
Dr. Sarah Kim - Finalized medical record for Max - Mar 5, 5:45 PM
Front Desk Staff - Viewed patient profile for Max - Mar 5, 4:55 PM

Investigating Unauthorized Access

Use Case: A front desk staff member reports unusual behavior—verify they didn’t access medical records (which they shouldn’t have permission for).

Filter by User

Select the staff member’s name from the User Filter dropdown.

Filter by Action

Choose View from the action filter.

Check Resources

Verify resources accessed. Front desk should only see:

Appointments
Client contact info
Call logs

If medical records appear, this indicates a permission issue or unauthorized access.

Document Findings

Export the filtered results as evidence if needed for HR or legal purposes.

Unauthorized access to medical records may violate professional standards and privacy regulations. Investigate immediately.

Compliance Audits

Use Case: Annual compliance audit requires proof of who modified patient records.

Set Date Range

Click the date picker and select the audit period (e.g., Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025).

Filter by Action

Select Update and Status Change to capture all record modifications.

Filter by Resource

Choose Medical Record to focus on clinical documentation.

Export Report

Click Export to CSV to generate a spreadsheet with:

User name and ID
Timestamp of each modification
Record ID and patient name
Details of changes made
IP address (if available)

Review for Compliance

Verify:

Only authorized users (vets, practice managers) finalized records
Records modified by appropriate clinical staff
No gaps or suspicious patterns

Monitoring Practice Manager Actions

Use Case: Ensure practice managers are following proper procedures when making administrative changes.

Filter by User Role

Select all users with Practice Manager role.

Filter by Settings Actions

Choose Settings Change and Delete actions.

Review Changes

Look for:

Template modifications
User role changes
Practice setting updates
Deleted records

Verify Appropriateness

Ensure changes align with documented policies and procedures.

Example Audit Entries

Below are real-world examples of audit log entries for common scenarios:

Medical Record Lifecycle

Medical Record Created (Draft)

{
  "id": "log-1",
  "userId": "vet_kim_001",
  "userName": "Dr. Sarah Kim",
  "action": "create",
  "resource": "Medical Record",
  "resourceId": "rec-12345",
  "details": "Created SOAP note for Buddy via voice dictation",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T17:15:00Z"
}

Medical Record Updated

{
  "id": "log-2",
  "userId": "vet_kim_001",
  "userName": "Dr. Sarah Kim",
  "action": "update",
  "resource": "Medical Record",
  "resourceId": "rec-12345",
  "details": "Added blood work results to Assessment section",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T17:40:00Z"
}

Medical Record Finalized

{
  "id": "log-3",
  "userId": "vet_kim_001",
  "userName": "Dr. Sarah Kim",
  "action": "status_change",
  "resource": "Medical Record",
  "resourceId": "rec-12345",
  "details": "Finalized medical record for Buddy (Annual Wellness)",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T17:45:00Z"
}

User Authentication

Successful Login

{
  "id": "log-4",
  "userId": "vet_kim_001",
  "userName": "Dr. Sarah Kim",
  "action": "login",
  "resource": "Auth",
  "resourceId": "",
  "details": "Logged in from iOS app (iPhone 14 Pro)",
  "ipAddress": "192.168.1.15",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T08:00:00Z"
}

Failed Login Attempt

{
  "id": "log-5",
  "userId": "unknown",
  "userName": "Unknown User",
  "action": "login",
  "resource": "Auth",
  "resourceId": "",
  "details": "Failed login attempt for email: [email protected] (incorrect password)",
  "ipAddress": "203.0.113.42",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T08:05:00Z"
}

Administrative Actions

User Role Changed

{
  "id": "log-6",
  "userId": "admin_001",
  "userName": "Admin User",
  "action": "update",
  "resource": "User",
  "resourceId": "user_tech_005",
  "details": "Changed role from 'Front Desk' to 'Veterinary Technician' for Jane Doe",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T09:30:00Z"
}

Practice Settings Updated

{
  "id": "log-7",
  "userId": "admin_001",
  "userName": "Admin User",
  "action": "settings_change",
  "resource": "Practice Settings",
  "resourceId": "practice_001",
  "details": "Updated business hours: Added Saturday 9 AM - 2 PM",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T10:00:00Z"
}

Template Deleted

{
  "id": "log-8",
  "userId": "admin_001",
  "userName": "Admin User",
  "action": "delete",
  "resource": "Template",
  "resourceId": "tmpl-custom-001",
  "details": "Deleted custom template 'Emergency Triage'",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-05T11:00:00Z"
}

Data Export

Medical Record Exported

{
  "id": "log-9",
  "userId": "vet_martinez_002",
  "userName": "Dr. Michael Rivera",
  "action": "export",
  "resource": "Medical Record",
  "resourceId": "rec-45678",
  "details": "Exported radiograph interpretation for Charlie as PDF",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-04T12:00:00Z"
}

Filtering and Search

Available Filters

By Action Type
By User
By Resource Type
By Date Range

Filter logs by specific actions:

All Actions (default)
Create
Update
Delete
View
Export
Login
Logout
Settings Change
Status Change

Use Case: Find all deletions in the past month to review data cleanup.

Search Functionality

The search box performs full-text search across:

User names: Find actions by “Dr. Kim”
Resource types: Search for “Medical Record”
Details: Search for specific patients like “Buddy”
Resource IDs: Look up by record ID “rec-12345”

Search Tips:

Search is case-insensitive
Partial matches supported (“vet” matches “veterinarian”)
Multiple search terms use AND logic (“Kim Medical” finds entries by Dr. Kim involving medical records)

Exporting Audit Logs

CSV Export

Export filtered audit logs for external analysis or compliance reporting.

Apply Filters

Use the filter controls to narrow down to the specific logs you need.

Click Export

Click the Export button in the top right of the audit log interface.

Choose Format

Select CSV format (Excel-compatible).

Download File

Browser downloads audit_log_YYYY-MM-DD.csv to your Downloads folder.

CSV Columns:

Timestamp,User ID,User Name,Action,Resource,Resource ID,Details,IP Address
2026-03-05T17:45:00Z,vet_kim_001,Dr. Sarah Kim,status_change,Medical Record,rec-12345,Finalized medical record for Buddy,192.168.1.15
2026-03-05T14:30:00Z,vet_martinez_002,Dr. Michael Rivera,create,Medical Record,rec-67890,Created dental chart,192.168.1.22

PDF Report (Coming Soon)

Future feature will generate formatted PDF reports with:

Practice branding
Executive summary statistics
Detailed log entries
Compliance certification

Retention and Storage

Retention Policy

Audit logs are retained indefinitely for compliance and cannot be deleted.

Storage Details:

Logs stored in append-only database table
Automatic compression for logs >1 year old
Geographic replication across 3 data centers
Encrypted at rest (AES-256)

Access Retention:

Recent logs (0-90 days): Instant access
Historical logs (90 days - 5 years): Retrieved within 1 second
Archived logs (>5 years): Retrieved within 5 seconds

Data Integrity

Immutability Guarantees:

Logs cannot be modified after creation
Logs cannot be deleted (even by practice managers)
Database-level constraints prevent tampering
Cryptographic checksums verify integrity

Compliance:

Meets veterinary record-keeping requirements
Supports legal discovery requests
Demonstrates due diligence in data protection

Compliance and Legal Use

Regulatory Requirements

Audit logs help satisfy regulatory requirements:

Veterinary Practice Acts

State veterinary boards require documentation of who accessed and modified medical records.

Data Protection Standards

HIPAA-equivalent standards for animal health records mandate access logging.

Professional Liability

Malpractice insurance may require proof of proper record handling.

Employment Law

HR investigations may require proof of unauthorized access or data breaches.

Legal Discovery

If records are subpoenaed or required for litigation:

Preserve Evidence: Audit logs are already immutable
Export Relevant Logs: Use date range and user filters
Provide to Legal Counsel: CSV export with timestamp authentication
Maintain Chain of Custody: Document export date, who requested, and why

Consult with your attorney before releasing audit logs in response to legal requests.

Security Monitoring

Detecting Suspicious Activity

Red Flags to Watch For: ⚠️ Unusual Access Patterns:

Staff accessing records outside normal working hours
Multiple failed login attempts from same IP
Access to records unrelated to job function

⚠️ Mass Data Export:

Large number of export actions by single user
Exports of all patient records
Exports shortly before employee resignation

⚠️ Unauthorized Modifications:

Front desk staff editing medical records (should be impossible due to permissions)
Deleted records without documented reason
Settings changes by non-administrative users

Incident Response

If suspicious activity is detected:

Document the Issue

Export relevant audit logs showing the suspicious activity.

Verify Permissions

Check user’s assigned role and permissions. Confirm they had authorization.

Investigate Intent

Interview the user to determine if access was legitimate or malicious.

Take Action

If unauthorized: Deactivate account immediately
If policy violation: Document and apply disciplinary measures
If data breach: Follow breach notification procedures

Prevent Recurrence

Review and update access policies
Provide staff training
Implement additional technical controls

Analytics and Insights

Usage Patterns

Audit logs reveal practice workflows and efficiency: Common Metrics:

Most Active Users: Who creates the most medical records?
Peak Activity Times: When is the system most heavily used?
Average Time to Finalize: How long between record creation and finalization?
Deletion Frequency: How often are records deleted (should be rare)?

Example Insights:

Top Record Creators (Last 30 Days):
1. Dr. Sarah Kim: 87 records
2. Dr. Michael Rivera: 72 records
3. Dr. Lisa Patel: 65 records

Peak Activity Hours:
- 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: 45% of records created
- 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM: 40% of records created
- After 5:00 PM: 15% of records created

Average Finalization Time: 2.3 hours after patient visit

Future versions will include built-in analytics dashboards for audit log insights.

Troubleshooting

Audit logs not appearing

Possible Causes:

User role doesn’t have access (Practice Manager only)
Date range filter too narrow
Search query too specific

Solution: Clear all filters and try again. If still blank, contact support.

Cannot find specific log entry

Solution:

Verify the action actually occurred (check medical record, etc.)
Expand date range—may have happened earlier than expected
Use broader search terms
Check if user name is spelled correctly in filter

Export taking too long

Cause: Very large date range (e.g., exporting 5 years of logs)Solution:

Narrow date range to smaller periods (e.g., monthly exports)
Export during off-peak hours
For very large exports, contact support for database query

Suspicious entry but unsure if legitimate

Solution:

Note the user, timestamp, and action
Check the resource (e.g., view the medical record in question)
Ask the user directly if they remember performing that action
Verify IP address matches expected location
If still suspicious, escalate to practice owner/manager

Best Practices

Regular Monitoring

Weekly Review

Practice managers should review audit logs weekly for unusual patterns or policy violations.

Monthly Reports

Generate monthly compliance reports showing all record access, exports, and administrative changes.

Quarterly Audits

Conduct thorough quarterly reviews of all user actions, especially for high-privilege accounts.

Annual Certification

Export annual audit summary for professional liability insurance and regulatory compliance.

Privacy Considerations

Balance Monitoring with Privacy:

Audit logs should be used for security and compliance, not micromanagement
Inform staff that actions are logged (include in employee handbook)
Limit audit log access to Practice Managers only
Don’t use logs to penalize reasonable clinical decisions

Documentation

Maintain Audit Procedures:

Document when and why audit logs are reviewed
Keep records of compliance reports generated
Document any investigations triggered by audit findings
Store exported audit logs securely (encrypted)

User Roles

Understand permissions and access control

Security Overview

Learn about encryption and data protection

Practice Settings

Configure settings that generate audit entries

Compliance

Regulatory requirements and best practices

Get Started

Core Features

Practice Management

Mobile App

Administration

​Overview

​What Gets Logged

​Logged Actions

Create

Update

Delete

View

Export

Login

Logout

Settings Change

Status Change

​Logged Information

​Accessing Audit Logs

​Web Application

​Audit Log Interface

​Common Audit Scenarios

​Tracking Medical Record Access

​Investigating Unauthorized Access

​Compliance Audits

​Monitoring Practice Manager Actions

​Example Audit Entries

​Medical Record Lifecycle

​User Authentication

​Administrative Actions

​Data Export

​Filtering and Search

​Available Filters

​Search Functionality

​Exporting Audit Logs

​CSV Export

​PDF Report (Coming Soon)

​Retention and Storage

​Retention Policy

​Data Integrity

​Compliance and Legal Use

​Regulatory Requirements

Veterinary Practice Acts

Data Protection Standards

Professional Liability

Employment Law

​Legal Discovery

​Security Monitoring

​Detecting Suspicious Activity

​Incident Response

​Analytics and Insights

​Usage Patterns

​Troubleshooting

​Best Practices

​Regular Monitoring

Weekly Review

Monthly Reports

Quarterly Audits

Annual Certification

​Privacy Considerations

​Documentation

​Related Resources

User Roles

Security Overview

Practice Settings

Compliance

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

What Gets Logged

Logged Actions

Logged Information

Accessing Audit Logs

Web Application

Audit Log Interface

Common Audit Scenarios

Tracking Medical Record Access

Investigating Unauthorized Access

Compliance Audits

Monitoring Practice Manager Actions

Example Audit Entries

Medical Record Lifecycle

User Authentication

Administrative Actions

Data Export

Filtering and Search

Available Filters

Search Functionality

Exporting Audit Logs

CSV Export

PDF Report (Coming Soon)

Retention and Storage

Retention Policy

Data Integrity

Compliance and Legal Use

Regulatory Requirements

Legal Discovery

Security Monitoring

Detecting Suspicious Activity

Incident Response

Analytics and Insights

Usage Patterns

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Regular Monitoring

Privacy Considerations

Documentation

Related Resources