Virtual Medical SCRIBE to eliminate world's costliest data entry job


Documentation Challenges of Physicians

Physician are back born of the healthcare delivery and responsible for quality care delivery. Conventionally a healthcare care provider’s job has been focusing exclusively on direct patient care.  However, the dawn of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) created an overload of documentation and further that process got bigger by the Meaningful Use Initiatives by the Obamacare and New introduction of MACRA. The documentation responsibilities that slow down physicians and takes away time from the actual patient care.

SOAP notes

Doctors are accountable to perform the review and capture process of the SOAP notes.
  • Subjective – View the existing patient demographics, History of Illness, Medical History and Initially the patients chief complaint i.e. AS IS the brief statement of the patient
  • Objective – listen what patient has to say and document the details includes information that the healthcare provider observes or measures from the patient's current presentation like Vital signs, Physical Examination Findings, Results from laboratory and other diagnostic tests already completed
  • Assessment – Perform the assessment and note the findings from the doctor’s perspective through physical examinations and review of lab results i.e. summary of the patient with main and related diagnosis details and patient's progress since the last visit etc
  • Plan – Create the plan for the patient care including further follow ups, referrals and prescription orders 
Most of the times doctors spend more time on these documentation activities to comply with Electronic Medical Records mandates and billing purpose. To get rid of the excess documentation process the physicians across the United States are turning to new alternatives. The documentation is considered as world’s costliest data entry job. How do we avoid the costliest data entry process by the physicians?
  1.  Personal Assistants - Historically people were employed directly at the care delivery centres and they work hand in hand from on boarding of patient to exist of the patient, then help to submit the claims. This process also consumes the time due to lack of technology and ads hinders to patient care.
  2. Medical Transcription – In the recent decades with introduction of numerous electronic devices that are used to record audio files such as iPad Apps, Cloud EHRs, digital handheld recorder or toll free call in voice servers.  The healthcare physician or nurse or other related Practioner then dictates office visits, diagnostic imaging studies, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries and uploads them to a Medical transcriptionist who then types them and even does the coding.
  3. Virtual Medical Scribes - Acts as personal aides to physicians virtually with the help of augmented technology like Google glass and performs a variety of tasks to ensure that the best possible patient care is delivered.

Virtual Medical Scribe a new concept. 

The third option of Virtual scribes getting popular by day by day as it improves the efficiency and reduces the cost of care. Virtual Scribes utilizes Google Glass to connect with physicians. The scribes’ gets real time exposure to medical treatment and promises a unique value addition to the delivery chain.

Note: Companies like Augmedix claims that up to 15 hours per week of doctor's time can be saved by leveraging the virtual scribe.

Medical Scribing Profession in India

The use of computers during patient visits takes the physicians away from patient care. By introducing globally accessible medical scribing process, Google technology enables a second person to experience what the clinician sees and hears in another country and grow into the doctor’s real-time assistant.

They have to work directly with physicians and documenting patient encounters including the SOAP Notes. Scribes listen to real-time patient visits and are responsible for updating the electronic health record with appropriate medical history to access the previous assessments and plans, physical examinations, findings and procedures.

The daily life of a scribe is something new and exciting. Each patient encounter will be different so scribes pick up to work in a challenging environment. They are persistently exposed to new diseases and medical procedures every single day.

Benefits of being a scribe

The benefits of working as a medical scribe are abundant. Scribes works in physician’s schedule and will have the opportunity to work alongside an American physician every day. Achievement of a deep understanding of medical terminology in a clinical setting where you'll get paid to work as a private detective of the physicians. Prepare for a field in medicine and get ahead of the curve by learning to think like a professional healthcare provider. Learn how to do record keeping and charting by becoming the physician’s right-hand man. The knowledge you gained could be applied as Business Analyst to develop the new system for the doctors and clinics.

Roles and Responsibilities of Scribe:

The primary responsibilities for the medical scribe position include but are not limited to:
  • Work together with the physician in a professional and non-intrusive way to ensure completeness and accuracy in medical charting.
  • Compliance with HIPAA, HITECH, and policies relating to confidentiality of patient information.
  • Accurate and timely charting of patient encounters, including but not limited to patient history, physical exam, diagnostic findings, lab and test results, Medical decision making, etc.
  • First-rate job attendance

     Qualities of Scribe:

      The qualities required for the medical scribe position include but are not limited to:
  • Experience in medical Transcription / medical billing / medical coding.
  • Working knowledge of Google Applications (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google) medical terminology and electronic medical records are strongly preferred.
  • Detail oriented and strive to improve knowledge and skills.
  •       Mastery of English language with excellent verbal/written communication is paramount.
  •       Schedule requirement: Must be able to work 9 hour a day, Monday to Friday.
  •       Good Typing skills and Logical reasoning.

      Reference

       https://x.company/glass/
       https://www.augmedix.in
       http://www.elicohcs.com/

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