What is a Scribe?
Scribes assist clinical providers (physicians, dentists, chiropractors, nurse practitioners) on a real-time basis with the clerical aspects of patient care. Scribes do not provide direct patient care but assist with various administrative tasks of the provider allowing them more time with their patients. This translates to higher quality care along with revenue enhancement.
Typically a scribe is responsible for the following duties:
Transcribing details of the physical exam, history, and patient orders given by the provider. This may include physical exam findings, lab or diagnostic orders, medications etc. This typically occurs with the provider in the examination room.
Taking patient histories. Often times occurring prior to the provider entering the examination room.
Recording provider-dictated diagnosis, prescriptions, patient instructions, diagnostic & diagnosis codes.
Documenting procedures performed by the provider.
Checking on the progress of diagnostic tests, referrals, and other data and then often transcribing the results into the patient charts.