It’s a common complaint among frustrated physicians and nurse practitioners, spending more time on paperwork than on the patient. 
Insurance providers and government payers require extensive documentation in order to reimburse physicians and nurse practitioners for the services they provide. If they are unable to show medical necessity for a service or procedure, they may not get paid. Electronic health records were supposed to save providers time and allow them to focus on patients, but many argue clicking check boxes and selecting dropdown menus is more of a hassle than writing notes on paper. Thankfully for physicians and NPs, there is an emerging medical profession whose job is to take notes during a patient encounter. They are called scribes, and they shadow physicians and NPs, taking notes and entering information into the appropriate electronic medical records. Working with a scribe can save providers precious time and help prevent physician burnout, a condition that affects nearly half of the nation’s physicians, and can have negative effects on patient care. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that “physicians who have burnout are more likely to report making recent medical errors, score lower on instruments measuring empathy, and plan to retire early and have higher job dissatisfaction, which has been associated with reduced patient satisfaction with medical care and patient adherence to treatment plans.” A study of more than 50 primary care practices found that physicians who use scribes are more satisfied with their work and choice of careers. Scribes not only save providers time. They also clear the way for a more engaging conversation between patient and provider. Instead of having to type information into a record while asking question, providers can give each patient undivided attention, throughout the examination. Scribes, many of whom have interest in pursuing a career in medicine, can also learn quite a bit from shadowing doctors and apply their experiences to their studies. It’s no surprise why many call the arrangement a “triple win” for providers, patients, and scribes!
Insurance providers and government payers require extensive documentation in order to reimburse physicians and nurse practitioners for the services they provide. If they are unable to show medical necessity for a service or procedure, they may not get paid. Electronic health records were supposed to save providers time and allow them to focus on patients, but many argue clicking check boxes and selecting dropdown menus is more of a hassle than writing notes on paper. Thankfully for physicians and NPs, there is an emerging medical profession whose job is to take notes during a patient encounter. They are called scribes, and they shadow physicians and NPs, taking notes and entering information into the appropriate electronic medical records. Working with a scribe can save providers precious time and help prevent physician burnout, a condition that affects nearly half of the nation’s physicians, and can have negative effects on patient care. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that “physicians who have burnout are more likely to report making recent medical errors, score lower on instruments measuring empathy, and plan to retire early and have higher job dissatisfaction, which has been associated with reduced patient satisfaction with medical care and patient adherence to treatment plans.” A study of more than 50 primary care practices found that physicians who use scribes are more satisfied with their work and choice of careers. Scribes not only save providers time. They also clear the way for a more engaging conversation between patient and provider. Instead of having to type information into a record while asking question, providers can give each patient undivided attention, throughout the examination. Scribes, many of whom have interest in pursuing a career in medicine, can also learn quite a bit from shadowing doctors and apply their experiences to their studies. It’s no surprise why many call the arrangement a “triple win” for providers, patients, and scribes!
