Benefits Of Having A Medical Scribe

With computers being used more now than ever before, electronic health records (EHR) are a vital part of the medical field. Doctors can be spending nearly as much time on paperwork as they do actually treating patients. Having a medical scribe is the perfect way to alleviate this stressor. A medical scribe, also known as a medical transcriber or a document assistant, takes notes for a physician and input these notes into an EHR. A medical scribe can digitize such information as medical history, test results, lab orders, and examination findings. 

Real-Time vs Post Appointment 

Sometimes the transcribing is done in real-time during a patient's appointment. The medical scribe may work in person with the doctor, following them around to each visit, or they may be completely remote. A doctor can have the scribe on a specialized phone call throughout the visit and then they can document everything virtually. 

Sometimes the transcribing is done after an appointment. A doctor may record the visit or speak verbal notes into a recording directly following the appointment, then this audio file will be sent to the medical scribe and they can document all the information. 

Improved Patient Interactions and Quality of Care

Patients want to know that their doctor is invested in them. This is when a medical scribe comes in handy. The doctor is able to focus solely on the patient and they can build a better relationship. With the doctor's full attention, the patient is put at ease and knows they are getting the best care.

Physician Satisfaction

When a doctor uses a medical scribe, they are free from the nitty-gritty paperwork and are able to get back to what they truly love, treating patients.

Efficiency

A medical scribe improves the efficiency of an office. Not only does the physician have more time with their patients, but teamwork is fostered in the workplace, which improves performance. Also, patient wait times go down because the doctor is less busy. 

Additionally, with appointment times being made more efficient (because the doctor can spend all their time focused on the patient), and the time between visits decreased (because the doctor isn't tied up doing paperwork), an office is able to take on more patients. With more business, revenue is increased and the role of a medical scribe pays for itself.

Physicians like treating patients, and not doing endless amounts of paperwork. Hiring a medical scribe is a great way to increase jobs in a growing industry, increase confidence that you're getting accurate documentation, and improve the quality of the workplace for patients and staff.