Medical Scribes

It has often been said that to run an efficient meeting, the leader of the meeting should not take notes during the meeting. Instead, the leader should focus on running the meeting, because running the meeting requires the leader's full attention. By the same token, some believe that a physician should not be taking notes while treating a patient. Because treating a patient requires the full attention of the physician. But in today's environment, with the EHR documentation requirements, often the physician is typing on his or her tablet or laptop, while counseling the patient. This is inefficient. So it makes sense to have a note taker enter patient-related information into the electronic system while the physician concentrates on the patient.

Indeed, there is now a new kind of medical worker called a medical scribe that some physicians are employing. According to one definition, a medical scribe is "a personal assistant to the physician; performing documentation in the EHR, gathering information for the patient's visit, and partnering with the physician to deliver the pinnacle of efficient patient care."

These scribes can be helpful. In fact, a recent study concluded that "physicians, clinical scribes, and patients perceived more detailed notes because of real-time documentation by scribes." The researchers went on to say that "most patients were comfortable with the scribe's presence and perceived increased attention from their physicians."

However, there are no standards or regulations in place for medical scribes. And some individuals are critical of medical scribes because some do have little medical training. As one physician concluded '“Medical Scribes are unlicensed, unregulated and little-trained individuals who are a third party being inserted between the physicians and the medical record...'

While nurses and other trained healthcare professionals, who act as medical scribes, do have medical training, consistent standards for medical scribes should be put in place to insure that a patient's health is not jeopardized by a lack of training. Still, the use of medical scribes -- especially, trained medical scribes -- will likely enhance the efficiency of a healthcare organization.

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