Traditionally, medical scribes work in-person alongside clinicians and other healthcare professionals to document patient encounters and reduce the administrative load so that the provider can focus on the patient. Providers also choose to hire scribes because, ideally, if they can leave the documentation in the hands of the scribe, then they can focus on the patient and focus on delivering engaged, quality care. Healthcare providers hire scribes because they need to offload some of their administrative burden so that they can save-time. So, before we dive into how to get a job as a medical scribe, it's first important to understand what healthcare providers are really looking for when they hire a scribe. What has ensued in the years since 2009 is widespread administrative-induced physician burnout, one that is pushing levels of physician depression and suicide through the roof. While the goal of this measure was to increase care quality and efficiency and maximize revenue, it created a new disease in the healthcare system: medical documentation. Starting in 2009, the US Government passed what's known as the HITECH Act, which financially incentivized care organizations to adopt electronic health record systems and forced providers to thoroughly document their patient encounters.

The biggest reason care organizations and individual providers in the United States hire medical scribes is because there is a massive amount of administrative work associated with delivering care. Scribing can provide you with valuable industry exposure and give you an up-close look at how medical decisions are made. If you're looking for a job that will help you gain clinical experience and look great on your medical school applications, then becoming a medical scribe could be the perfect option for you.

Medical scribe positions