Not too unexpectedly, our transcription service initially pushed back on this idea because of their fear of job loss. However, this issue was resolved by eliminating the need for outsourcing overflow dictations. In addition, the relative terseness of the scribed notes did not sit well initially with some of our colleagues used to excessive verbosity, and this issue again gradually faded away as physicians realized that all the necessary information for care was preserved.
Does a scribe program make sense in all situations? Not likely. This kind of setup will work best in busy tertiary-care centers with residency programs and family-centered team rounds. Furthermore, a nearby college or university is a must if cost-efficient hiring of pre-med students is to be possible.
Walid Maalouli, MD, FAAP,
medical director, hospitalist department,
Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis
References
- Arya R, Salovich DM, Ohman-Strickland P, Merlin MA. Impact of scribes on performance indicators in the emergency department. Acad Emerg Med. 2010;17(5):490- 494.
- Koshy S, Feustel PJ, Hong M, Kogan BA. Scribes in an ambulatory urology practice: patient and physician satisfaction. J Urol. 2010;184(1):258-262.
- Conn J. Getting it in writing. Docs using scribes to ease the transition to EHRs. Mod Healthc. 2010;40(6):30,32.
- Expanded scribe role boosts staff morale. ED Manag. 2009;21(7):75-77.