In order to ensure the accuracy of information entered into a patient’s EHR, a scribe must unhesitatingly ask questions and clarify details with the practitioner.

Survey respondents ranked this as the #1 quality of a good medical scribe. In fact, one study summarized the five characteristics of an outstanding medical scribe, based on a survey of dozens of practitioners as well as medical scribes6: 1. Importantly, practitioners and medical scribes alike agree that these qualities are crucial in furthering a medical scribe’s career. Unlike the verifiable skill-set listed earlier, however, these traits go deeper, are harder to assess, and might not be easy to acquire through training or certification. In addition to the above skills, successful medical scribes also possess certain common qualities. Possess a very good vocabulary and advanced spelling skills, with the ability to spell new and complex medical terminology by approximationĭemonstrate an ability to type at speeds between 60 and 70 wpm4Įxcel at organizing information through notes, charts and checklistsīe capable of focusing on a single stream of information in a complex, dynamic situationĮxample Scenario5: A medical scribe working in an ER may be surrounded by high noise levels, emotional content (pain and distress) and potentially confusing data, as medical terms and patient information are being discussed by multiple health-care staff such as nurses, EMTs, etc. Have an excellent command of language skills, especially listening comprehension To do this, it is essential that s/he must possess the following characteristics: Individuals with a high school diploma, with a strong background in biology and/or chemistry and proven communication skillsĪ medical scribe tracks, processes and records information of a highly technical nature in a time-critical fashion, often working in a high-pressure environment such as an Emergency Room (ER) or a Trauma Care Center. Those studying for associate/ bachelor degrees in associated health-care fields like nursing, counseling, sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy

Students waiting out a ‘gap year’ after being accepted into one of the health-care major courses like medicine Pre-med and pre-health students (Undergraduate university students completing the required coursework for entry into medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary science and others) Qualities and qualifications of medical scribesĪ medical scribe, variously termed a Clinical Scribe, a Documentation Assistant, or simply a Scribe, functions like a Personal Assistant (PA) to a physician or health-care practitioner, documenting in detail the interaction between the practitioner and each patient, and subsequently updating the online medical records database or EHR.Īlthough the medical scribe community includes individuals from diverse backgrounds, the most typical profiles among medical scribes are:Ĭurrent medical scribes or Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) wishing to update their skills and knowledge Not only did the doctors find that using a medical scribe saved them up to 20% of the total time spent per patient, they reported significant improvement in the level of undivided attention and care that they were able to provide each patient.Ī medical scribe may be defined as a paraprofessional who documents practitioner-patient interactions in real time2, taking responsibility for the input of a complete, comprehensive record of a consultation session, verification of the record by the practitioner (doctor, registered nurse or other professional), and subsequent coordination with health-care staff to ensure that the patient’s electronic health record or EHR is updated for access and retrieval as necessary.Īccording to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics3, there is a sky-rocketing demand for medical assistants who can handle administrative record-keeping as well as clinical tasks, with an expected growth rate of 18%-over 100,000 new jobs created each year till 2030. In 2020, research published in the JCO journal ‘Oncology Practice’ found that over 100 doctors surveyed agreed that using a medical scribe greatly facilitated their patient consultations1.

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