Virtual medical scribes take over administrative tasks, allowing doctors to focus more on their patients. Not only that, but scribes also contribute to increasing the quality of care for patients.
Being a virtual medical scribe is indeed rewarding. You get to help doctors become more productive, plus help create more positive experiences in the clinic for the patients.
That said, could a medical scribe be a lucrative career for you?
In this guide, we’ll discuss the virtual medical scribe salary, responsibilities, and benefits.
What is a Virtual Medical Scribe?
Definition
Virtual medical scribes work virtually and assist physicians by listening to patient encounters and documenting their conversations. They also manage electronic health records (EHR) and handle other administrative tasks.
Other responsibilities:
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Schedule patient appointments
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Arrange patient files
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Chart patient histories
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Record findings from the physical exam,
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Enter treatment plans.
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Assist with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance
Importance in Healthcare
Virtual medical scribes play a crucial role in healthcare facilities. Because they handle administrative tasks, they allow doctors to spend more time interacting with patients. This greatly improves patient care quality, positively affecting patient outcomes.
A study by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has found that doctors spend twice as much time on administrative tasks and EHRs as they do with talking to patients. It then concluded that minimizing admin tasks can positively affect the quality of patient care.
On a similar note, a study published by the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine has found that doctors’ time spent with their patients increased by 57% after hiring a virtual medical scribe.
These findings underscore the importance of having a virtual medical scribe in a healthcare facility.
Typical medical scribe salary
The salary of a medical scribe can vary depending on their location, professional experience, and employer.
Virtual medical scribe salary range in the US
A virtual medical scribe typically earns an average salary of $19 per hour. The lowest they could earn is $10, while the highest is about $30 per hour.
According to ZipRecruiter, they are seeing a range of $15 to $24 per hour.
Factors affecting the salary
Many factors affect the average salary of a virtual medical scribe, including the following:
1. Location
ZipRecruiter has found that these top 10 cities pay higher salaries than the national average, with a lot of them from the state of California.
This list is ordered from the city that pays the highest to the lowest:
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Santa Clara, CA – $24.78 per hour
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San Francisco, CA – $23.66 per hour
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Castro Valley, CA – $23.49
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Marysville, WA – $23.38
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San Jose, CA – $22.93
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Alexandria, VA – $22.58
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Oakland, CA – $22.44
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Hayward, CA – $22.40
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Vallejo, CA – $22.36
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Antioch, CA – $22.33
2. Employer type and size
The larger the institution, the higher salary they could pay a virtual medical scribe.
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Large hospital networks
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Private clinics
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Telehealth companies
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Scribe employers
3. Education and certification
Being a virtual medical scribe doesn’t require a specific degree. That said, some facilities are willing to pay higher if a scribe has nationally recognized certifications. Here are some of them:
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Certified Medical Scribe Specialist (CMSS) – Offered by the American Healthcare Documentation Professionals Group (AHDPG)
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Certified Medical Scribe (CMS) – Provided by the American College of Medical Scribe Specialists (ACMSS)
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Medical Scribe Certification and Aptitude Test (MSCAT) – Offered by the Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE) program
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Certified Medical Scribe Professional (CMSP) – Provided by the American Healthcare Documentation Professionals Group (AHDPG)
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ScribeAmerica’s Scribe Certification Exam (SCE) – Provided by ScribeAmerica, one of the largest employers of medical scribes
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Clinical Medical Assistant (CMAA) – Offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
4. Additional Skills
A virtual medical scribe’s skills can also bump up their salary.
For example, if they’re well-versed in using different EHR systems, medical terminology, coding, and speak more than one language, they can earn a higher salary than the national average.
Basically, scribes who know their way around a medical facility’s technology — can serve a broader patient base — can demand a higher salary.
Benefits and Perks for Virtual Medical Scribes
Common benefits offered to virtual medical scribes
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Health insurance – A virtual medical scribe can enjoy health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
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Paid Time Off (PTOs) – These include sick days, vacation days, and national holidays.
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Professional development – Many employers also provide ongoing training and certification programs for their scribes
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Flexible working hours – Scribes can also work flexible hours, which is highly beneficial if they’re studying on the side to acquire certification
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Retirement plans – Many employers also offer retirement plans like 401(k) plans
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Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) – These include counseling and mental health programs
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Technology stipends – Some employers reimburse money spent on internet connection, coworking space subscription, and home office equipment
Importance of benefits in attracting and retaining talent
Why do employers offer benefits? It’s because retaining talented virtual medical scribes brings a lot of advantages.
Competitive advantage
In a tough job market, having those benefits can easily attract top talent.
Employee retention and job satisfaction
If employees are happy with their benefits, it will decrease turnover rates and lead to more productive, engaged employees in the workplace.
Good health and wellbeing
People can be more productive if they know their rights are being taken care of by their employees.
Career Pathways for Virtual Medical Scribes
Beyond being a medical virtual scribe, can you progress to a higher-paying or managerial position? Yes, there are many advancement options for a scribe:
Senior medical scribe
If a new or mid-level virtual medical scribe gains enough experience and skills, they can be promoted as a senior medical scribe. This role requires the person to oversee more complex, high-maintenance documentation tasks.
Scribe trainer
As a scribe trainer, you will be assigned to welcome, train, and mentor new scribes. You will also be responsible for hiring them.
Clinical documentation specialist
This role requires you to maintain the accuracy and completeness of clinical documentation. You will work closely with multiple healthcare professionals to improve documentation practices.
Healthcare administration
If you acquire the required certification and degree, you can also apply for administrative roles in large hospital networks, such as office managers and operations coordinators.
Health information manager
In this role, you will be assigned to manage sensitive patient records and health information systems, making sure they all comply with regulations.
