As technology advances in the medical field, doctors can now treat more patients than ever before.
While this change allows a doctor to see more patients and attend to their needs, it also opens up a tremendous amount of documentation tasks.
How they help modern medical practice
A virtual medical scribe is a trained professional who remotely maintains the electronic health records (EHR) documentation of a patient.
This documentation process must be updated regularly as it contains patient history, treatment plans, medical conditions, and medications.
The daily cry of physicians is to remove these tedious and tremendous tasks on their daily basis operational tasks to focus on patient care.
Physicians can better spend their time with patients in an exam room rather than drowning in documentation and paperwork tasks.
They also help other healthcare professionals by simplifying their day-to-day tasks, such as updating pertinent health information.
Virtual Medical Scribe Job Requirements
The core skills requirement
Qualified candidates in a medical scribe role should be able to display proficient skills using the computer.
Using their computer skills, they will listen through a video conferencing app to capture all of the health concerns being experienced by the patient and upload them to the electronic health records within the healthcare facility.
Each day, the medical scribe will assist the healthcare providers by reducing their clerical tasks and recording every patient encounter in the EHR system.
Why Clients Love Us
Medical background and expertise
Virtual medical scribes need a deep understanding of human anatomy and medical terminology to accurately document patient visits and medical histories.
In terms of educational attainment, it is suggested to have at least one of the following:
18+ years old and allowed to work in the US
High school diploma or GED
clinical experience
Healthcare and medical experience
Certifications and training requirements
Traditionally, medical scribes don’t work as hospital attendants but rather as physicians’ personal attendants.
This means they understand each medical terminology and can speak the same language as physicians.
Since they are HIPAA trained and certified, they can keep up with the pace of documenting patient information during every clinic visit.
Organizational Skills and Keen eyes for details
They should also have a keen eye for details as you will need to complete the documentation process of each patient visit daily.
Their attention to detail and organizational skills are important as they need to do complex tasks such as:
Follow up on lab test results
Review and document physical exam results
Document medicine prescriptions
Review the history of the present illness (HIIP)
Record other pertinent health information of a patient
Ability to Work Independently and Manage Time Effectively
Virtual scribes should meet each deadline given by physicians to administer the medical treatment that the patient needs.
These virtual scribes should be self-motivated and know how to manage data in a secure and effective manner.
Strong Communication and Teamwork Skills
Although the work of a medical scribe revolves around listening to video recordings, they have great written and communication skills and can communicate using their people and interpersonal skills.
Benefits of Virtual Medical Scribe Services
Increased access to patient care and treatment
Since the pandemic, virtual scribes have helped physicians extend the reach of their practice to rural areas, eliminating the barrier to access when treating patients remotely.
Increased perceived privacy in inpatient consultation
Since virtual scribes work remotely and listen to the recordings, patients can comfortably share their medical condition with their attending physician.
Work Environment and Setup
Remote Work Setup and Requirements
Virtual medical scribes work remotely, so it’s critical to have a secure and reliable internet connection to transmit sensitive patient datadata.
A quiet and private workplace or home office is essential as they need uninterrupted listening time to capture patient information.
Flexibility of Service and Adaptability to Different Medical Specialties
Virtual medical scribes offer flexibility, as they can offer 24/7 patient coverage and also help your medical practice whenever one of your employees is out of the office.
Challenges and Considerations for Virtual Medical Scribes
Cost and Lack of Standardized Training
Although the pros of hiring virtual medical scribes outweigh the cons, we can’t neglect the fact that implementing it also requires a lot of resources.
And if you look around the market today, you’ll see that medical scribes lack standardized training.
Training your virtual scribe will also demand a training cost budget so they can assist in providing patient care.
Security Risks and Telemedicine Trends
With a virtual scribe in your medical practice, expect that they’ll handle the data entry process for recording patient visits.
However, due to their remote work arrangement, virtual scribes are prone to security risks as they update the electronic health records daily.
To protect the data of your clinic and medical practice, you should ensure that the employees of the virtual medical scribe services you hire have extensive training in cybersecurity.
The career growth and opportunities
Compensation, Benefits, and Perks
The pay grade or salary is based on different the following criteria:
Professional experience
Time spent on the role
Certifications, training attended, and specializations
Since there is a growing demand for virtual scribes, entry-level job roles offer competitive salary packages, benefits, and perks.
Opportunities for Professional Growth and Development
One cannot say that they know their medical knowledge but should continuously improve in learning.
In Summary In Summary
If you want a dedicated and professional team to help your medical practice in data entry, improve patient care, and reduce the physical burnout experienced by your physicians then its best to hire a virtual scribe.
Hiring a virtual medical scribe in your medical facility improves the overall revenue.
It also allows the attending physician and doctors to see more patients and provide proper medical treatment.
As health care continues to improve and medical facilities slowly transition from traditional medical scribes to virtual scribes, physicians can now focus on what matters most: delivering unprecedented patient care.
