On-site Medical Scribe or Virtual Medical Scribe - Which way to go

Virtual medical scribing has become increasingly popular in recent years as majority of physicians' offices and hospitals have switched from paper to electronic records. With the help of medical scribing services, physicians can spend less time at their computers and more time on direct patient care.Yes, medical scribing can greatly reduce the burden of EHR documentation while improving the quality of patient care. It's no surprise that Medical Scribing service is regarded as the pillar of modern healthcare system.

Let us now take a look at the two types of medical scribing services, how they differ and why virtual medical scribes are a better choice than on-site scribes.

How Virtual Medical Scribe works

Virtual medical scribing services provide real-time data entry directly into the EHRs. The virtual medical scribes are patched to the exam room remotely through a secure, HIPAA-compliant VOIP connection. They listen to the physician-patient encounter in real-time, and enter all clinically relevant data straight into your EHRs. After the patient visit is over, the physician reviews the charts with the virtual scribe makes any necessary changes, and then signs off. Each physician is assigned an experienced virtual medical scribe, to work with. They learn the physician's specific charting requirements and soon become an integral part of the care team. Virtual medical scribes are well-versed in a variety of medical specialties and can operate with any EHR system.

How On-site Medical Scribe works

Most physicians are familiar with the medical scribe model, in which a scribe follows them all through their day. The scribe is physically present and shadows the physician, documenting clinically relevant data from the physician-patient conversation. The physician can at any time request the scribe to look for any specific patient data or add any details to the EHR. Despite the fact that they are the physician's right hand, some patients are uncomfortable having a scribe inside the exam room. In that case, the medical scribe may step away giving patients the privacy they need.

Why prefer a Virtual Medical Scribe over an On-site Medical Scribe?

A medical scribe is like an extension of the physicians arm, and even a single day without them can disrupt the physician's entire workflow.Take for example, when scribes are sick or need to take time off or for any other reason. When the medical scribe isn't around the entire EHR charting responsibilities fall on the physician's shoulders. And considering the fact that medical scribes are pre-med students, who see the job as temporary, on-site medical scribes tend to work only on a short period of time. As a result, healthcare facilities are frequently faced with a revolving door of medical scribes.

The benefits of Virtual Medical Scribe over an On-site Scribe

Virtual medical scribes are a great alternative to the on-site medical scribe for physicians who want to reduce the high scribe turnover that results in additional costs to hire and train a replacement. Virtual medical scribes come with a number of advantages like lowered costs, increased sense of privacy during visits, reduced risk of functional creep, patient-centered encounters and greater service flexibility. Moreover, virtual scribe companies handle the staffing issues, relieving the physician of the headache of hiring, training, payroll, benefits, vacations, and so on. They also operate 24/7 and in case the primary scribe is unavailable due to some personal reasons trained backup scribes take over to ensure uninterrupted services.

If you are a physician contemplating whether to choose between an on-site scribe and a virtual scribe this post will definitely help you make an informed decision. Scribe4Me is the number one provider of top-class virtual medical scribing services with the goal to help physicians increase patient contact time and reduce screen time. With our virtual medical scribes to document the patient encounter in real-time, you will be able to focus on the patient and their treatment plans rather than pulling templates and typing at the computer. To learn more about our services can help you get in touch with us today.