Medical Scribes are qualified assistants that help doctors create medical documentation such as prescriptions, diagnosis reports, test results, etc., with the least effort. The benefit of hiring such an assistant is doctors get more time to do their productive work without bothering much about documentation.
In this article we will explore the role of a medical scribe, understand how they work, benefits of hiring them and how technology helps doctors to hire the best medical scribes from anywhere in the world.
Table of Contents
What is a Medical Scribe?
A medical scribe is a professional who provides documentation and transcription services to a doctor. Since these professionals hail from the field of medicine or are doctors themselves, they deeply understand the documents they create. With the workload of documentation set aside, doctors are able to attend to more patients, diagnose them better, do more surgeries, or tend to other works better. This helps them not only increase the patient turnover in their clinics but also gives them more time with each patient.
Medical scribes indeed play a crucial role in the healthcare system, and their education often overlaps significantly with that of doctors.
Many scribes start with a strong foundation in the sciences, often pursuing undergraduate degrees in biology, chemistry, or related fields. Some scribes come from medical schools, where they receive training similar to that of doctors, including coursework in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and clinical skills.
Further, scribe training programs teach them how to document patient encounters, understand medical terminology, and navigate electronic health record (EHR) systems. Additionally, many scribes pursue further education in specific medical fields, such as therapy, pathology, virology, oncology, and more, which can include certifications, advanced degrees, or specialized courses.
Working alongside physicians, scribes gain extensive hands-on experience in clinical settings, observing patient interactions, diagnostic processes, and treatment plans. They are responsible for accurately documenting patient visits, which requires a deep understanding of medical language and procedures. Due to their education and experience, scribes often possess a comprehensive understanding of various medical conditions and treatments. Those who pursue further education in specialized fields can develop expertise that sometimes exceeds that of general practitioners in those specific areas.
Medical scribes assist doctors by handling the documentation workload, allowing physicians to focus more on patient care. Their detailed and accurate record-keeping enhances the efficiency of medical practices and ensures better patient outcomes. While medical scribes may not perform the same clinical duties as doctors, their extensive education and experience make them valuable assets in the healthcare system. Their role supports and complements the work of physicians, contributing to high-quality patient care.
What Do Medical Scribes Work On?
- Documentation Specialists: They meticulously document all aspects of patient encounters, ensuring accurate and thorough medical records.
- EHR Experts: Scribes handle all EHR-related tasks, from entering patient data to managing follow-up actions, streamlining the entire documentation process.
- Clinical Assistants: They support doctors by preparing charts, reviewing patient histories, and assisting with clinical procedures, ensuring smooth and efficient clinical operations.
- Patient Care Facilitators: Scribes enhance patient care by allowing doctors to focus on patient interaction, improving communication, and ensuring all patient concerns are documented and addressed.
- Efficiency Boosters: By taking on administrative tasks, scribes increase the clinic’s overall efficiency, allowing doctors to see more patients and provide higher quality care.
The 10 Benefits of Hiring a Medical Scribe
Though there are several benefits of hiring a medical scribe, yet we have listed the most important ones which we have experienced in our line of work.
1. Real-time Documentation
Scribes accompany doctors during patient consultations, either physically or virtually. They document the entire encounter in real-time, including patient history, physical examination findings, diagnostic test results, and treatment plan. This is something where Medser.us excels much better than any of our competitors. Our medical scribes have the best combination of speed and accuracy to provide real-time service with zero error.
2. Accuracy and Detail
By focusing solely on documentation, scribes ensure that all relevant information is accurately recorded, maintaining comprehensive and precise medical records.
3. Electronic Health Records
Scribes are trained to efficiently navigate various EHR systems. They enter data, update patient records, and ensure that all information is organized and easily accessible.
4. Streamlining Workflow
This reduces the time doctors spend on administrative tasks, allowing them to see more patients and spend more time on direct patient care.
Clinical Support:
5. Preparation and Follow-up
Scribes can prepare patient charts before visits, review patient histories, and gather relevant information. After consultations, they can help with follow-up tasks such as entering orders for tests and procedures, and coordinating with other healthcare providers.
6. Assisting with Procedures
In some cases, scribes may assist with minor clinical procedures, ensuring that all steps are documented and that any required follow-up is scheduled.
7. Focused Patient Care
With scribes handling documentation, doctors can focus entirely on interacting with and examining patients. This improves the quality of patient care and strengthens the doctor-patient relationship.
8. Improving Communication
Scribes ensure that all patient concerns, questions, and discussions are documented, which helps in providing consistent and continuous care.
9. Increased Productivity
By offloading administrative duties to scribes, doctors can increase their productivity, allowing them to see more patients without compromising on the quality of care.
10. Reduced Burnout
Scribes help in reducing the administrative burden on doctors, which can significantly reduce stress and burnout, leading to better job satisfaction and overall well-being for healthcare providers.
Disadvantages and Their Solutions
Despite all their benefits, traditional medical scribes can be quite expensive, with an average salary of approximately $50,000 a year (as per Glassdoor) in the US, which can be unaffordable for small clinics.
However, advancements in technology have made it possible for doctors to hire virtual medical scribes at a fraction of the cost. Virtual scribes are significantly more affordable, such as those provided by MedSer at just $1499 a month, equating to about $18,000 a year—one-fourth the cost of an on-site scribe. This affordability comes without additional overheads for office space and equipment.
Why Choose MedSer
MedSer has an army of trained virtual scribes from top medical colleges possess in-depth medical knowledge and extensive experience, ensuring fast and accurate documentation with minimal guidance. By managing documentation and EHR tasks remotely, virtual scribes streamline clinical workflows, allowing doctors to see more patients and focus on direct patient care. This increased efficiency helps reduce physician burnout by alleviating administrative burdens, enabling doctors to maintain a better work-life balance.
Additionally, virtual scribes enhance patient care by allowing doctors to spend more time with patients, resulting in better patient relationships and outcomes. They provide flexibility with remote access and around-the-clock availability, ensuring documentation is handled promptly even outside regular office hours. Moreover, virtual scribe services are scalable, adapting to practice growth and customizable to meet specific needs, making them an invaluable asset to any healthcare practice.
