Virtual Scribe Medical Workload Beyond Documentation

The role of medical scribes has evolved significantly over time. Traditionally, they provided in-house documentation support to healthcare professionals. Recently, however, many have shifted to using virtual scribe medical services, reflecting a growing preference for remote support in the field.

While scribes mainly handle medical documentation, they are also trained to handle other medical administrative duties. Due to this range, virtual medical scribes have become invaluable assets in the healthcare industry. As healthcare providers, there are even ways to maximize the skillset and functionality of virtual medical scribe services so that your medical practice can fully take advantage of this advent.

What is a Virtual Scribe Medical

In essence, a virtual medical scribe is someone who performs medical documentation during patient encounters from a remote location. They document relevant details during these patient visits including patient history, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment plans, among a few others. This is all so that the healthcare professional is removed from the burden of documentation and can focus their attention solely on the patient.

On top of documentation, scribes are also in charge of encoding patient data into electronic health records (EHR) systems. This helps clinics keep better track of their patient’s medical history, thus enabling them to provide better, continuous future care.

On top of the responsibility of documentation and data entry, they also handle other administrative tasks when needed.

The Evolution of Virtual Scribes

The more healthcare professionals began employing virtual medical scribe services, the more the skills of the entire workforce grew. The virtual medical scribes of today are vastly more knowledgeable of the medical industry and more confident in their abilities. When performing at their best, they have the capability to completely transform a healthcare professional’s practice.

While they began as employees who worked in-house, doctors now hire scribes who work virtually. This shift in practice allows healthcare professionals to access a broader talent pool instead of solely pulling from the workforce within their general area. This has completely elevated the way scribes work and the job market as a whole.

Considering how talented the scribes of today are, and how doctors now have access to a wider talent pool, virtual scribes fight tooth and nail to land a suitable position. They are better equipped to attract prospective clients and employers and they are better prepared for the intricacies of healthcare.

Tasks of Virtual Medical Scribes Outside Medical Documentation

Outside of documentation, the following are the other tasks virtual medical scribes are capable of completing.

Electronic Health Records Management

After creating documentation and SOAP notes during a patient encounter, virtual scribes then turn to EHR documentation. During this process, they make sure to input a patient’s information properly so that accurate data is started. They also make sure that the record of every patient is updated and kept securely in accordance with regulations.

EHR management is a vital aspect of any medical practice. An organized EHR system ensures physicians can access a patient’s information seamlessly, thus allowing for a more improved workflow efficiency. This, in all, makes sure the clinic is able to provide more accurate and seamless patient care.

Patient Care Coordination

Once a virtual scribe medical has finished their documentation duties, they are free to do other things to help the medical clinic’s efficiency and patient care, including patient care coordination. Scribes may work with virtual assistants and other staff members to arrange appointment follow-ups, provide reminders, and track patient progress.

Given that they have knowledge of a patient’s medical history, virtual scribes are more than equipped to assist with patient care coordination. They know enough about a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, and treatment plans to be more detailed when it comes to patient care coordination and ensure no detail is overlooked.

Patient Chart Organization

Virtual scribes can also make sure patient charts are always organized and accessible to healthcare providers. From the information they get during the documentation process and stored in EHR systems, scribes can retrieve the information of any patient and organize it neatly on a patient chart.

This helps physicians quickly find the most relevant and necessary information regarding a patient prior to consultations, thus making each visit more swift and efficient. When a healthcare professional has access to a patient’s thorough information, it allows them to reach better medical conclusions. Thus, this effort also enables doctors to reach better patient outcomes.

Handling Patient Queries

Virtual scribes are some of the most qualified staff within a healthcare clinic to handle patient queries given how much patient information they handle. When they have time, doctors can task scribes to answer a question or two by patients, which they will be able to properly answer by accessing the EHR system that they manage.

While most clinics have staff members who regularly tend to patient queries, virtual scribes can offer ample support to streamline communication, reduce the workload of the clinic, and increase patient satisfaction. They’re best equipped to handle medical queries, but they can also respond to questions regarding appointments, billing, and so on.

Billing Assistance

Medical billing is an important area of any medical practice. However, it can also be the most time-consuming. Billing requires precision and accuracy, characteristics present and even demanded of medical scribes. As such, they are highly equipped to assist in this area of the practice.

Virtual scribes can assist in billing through their accurate and timely documents. Their process streamlines billing and encoding, ensuring that the correct information is given so that medical billers can create accurate invoices promptly. Their work also helps reduce errors and delays in payments as a whole.

Information Dissemination

One can think of virtual scribes as the handler of information within the medical clinic. They document, store, and manage patient information on a regular basis. As such, they can also be tasked with disseminating said information whenever required.

Virtual scribes may assist in handing out educational materials, follow-up instructions, patient information, and lab results to patients and other medical professionals. They can facilitate the dissemination of information so that everyone acquires the materials they need or have answers to urgent questions swiftly.

Additional Administrative Tasks

When it’s all said and done, virtual scribes can work hand-in-hand with a virtual assistant to complete any remaining administrative task that the clinic is burdened with. They make sure to complete as many tasks as possible so that the medical practice they work for can run as smoothly as it can possibly be.

The administrative tasks virtual scribes handle range from managing schedules and organizing appointments to customer service and appointment follow-ups. Scribes are able to do this as long as they’re not occupied with scribing or EHR management.

The Difference Between a Virtual Scribe and a Virtual Assistant

Virtual scribes and virtual assistants share a range of responsibilities. Where they differ, however, is their main purpose within the medical practices they serve.

A virtual assistant is someone who focuses mainly on administrative tasks. It is their duty to remove administrative burdens and paperwork from the medical providers they work for so that their time and energy are freed up to focus more on patient care.

On the other hand, a remote medical scribe is someone who mainly handles documentation and note-taking during patient visits. Their main responsibility is virtual scribing whether during appointments, procedures, or during telehealth services.

Every once in a while, the responsibilities of an assistant and a scribe overlap. A virtual assistant may be tasked with virtual scribing and a scribe may be tasked to do a series of administrative tasks. However, both undergo extensive training and have major experience in handling their core responsibility.

Considerations of Expanding the Role of a Virtual Scribe

As a medical professional, if you’re confident enough in your scribe to let them handle other responsibilities, make sure to consider the following factors so that your medical practice remains uncompromised.

Data Security and Confidentiality

When you work in the healthcare field, security and confidentiality should be treated with the utmost priority. You do not want to be in a position where patient data can be in any way compromised or stolen. Make sure to only hire virtual scribes who have undergone HIPAA certification training.

Training and Development

The healthcare industry is an ever-evolving world. If you want your scribes to adapt to it rapidly without compromising quality work and efficiency, be sure to offer them continuous training to develop their skills and expand their knowledge.

Task Management

Multitasking can be arduous. When hiring a virtual scribe, make sure to hire someone who is capable of effective time management. Make sure they are able to juggle multiple responsibilities at once, meet their deadlines, and still deliver top-notch work.

Burnout

The fast-paced nature of healthcare can lead to burnout. Not only is this true for virtual scribes, it occurs to everybody in the medical field. Make sure not to overburden your scribe, give them a break whenever necessary, and limit their tasks according to their capabilities.

Optimizing the Capabilities of a Virtual Scribe

To make sure the virtual scribe medical you work for can function at their best, provide them with the appropriate tools, training, and expectations prior to onboarding. Encourage skill development and they will use those skills to make your medical practice excel. When they are doing excellent work, offer positive feedback, reward with suitable benefits, and make sure they are in a work environment where they feel valued and respected.

Work With Trained and Skilled Scribes With VMeDx

Looking for a virtual scribe medical that can work perfectly with your practice has never been this easy. VMeDx offers a pool of trained and skilled medical scribes. Each of them has undergone comprehensive training, allowing them to handle more than just documentation.

Talk to us today and experience the different types of scribes who can cater to your every need.