![]() 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Scribed notes can highly vary in length, structure, and content. 20, 21, 22 Further, there is a growing concern regarding the wide range of variability that has been reported based on the outcomes and performance of providers who use scribes. ![]() 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Despite these advantages, some critics argue that scribes are merely a “workaround” for coping with EHR usability. 13, 14 Research suggests that there are many advantages to using scribes: scribes can reduce provider EHR time, increase patient and provider satisfaction, and improve coding and billing quality. They are typically pre-medical students who perform real-time documentation in the EHR under direct provider supervision. Medical scribes are increasingly hired to fill this role. 12 Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Medical Scribes 9, 10, 11 One suggested strategy is to delegate EHR tasks, such as routine data entry or mandatory documentation tasks, to another member of the care team, thereby minimizing direct EHR-related duties required by a provider. Therefore, organizations are prioritizing solutions that can untether providers from the EHR. ![]() 6, 7, 8 Burnout is a crisis amongst providers, and as a result, organizations are faced with staffing shortages anticipated within the next decade. 3, 4, 5 Provider burnout is associated with excessive EHR use relative to that spent face to face with patients. 1, 2, 3 Documentation tasks lead to increased after-hours and weekend work and pose a threat to provider work-life balance. United States (US) providers spend up to half of their days completing clinical documentation in the electronic health record (EHR). This new knowledge could increase provider efficiency and safety and be incorporated into further and future training tools for them. ![]() We utilized a secondary qualitative data analysis methodology to develop themes describing how providers can optimize their use of scribes. Each theme contained specific practices so providers can use scribes safely and in a standardized way. We identified three themes: (1) communication aspects, (2) teamwork efforts, and (3) provider characteristics. We then used an inductive interpretive theme-generation process. We used a template method followed by word queries to identify an optimum level of scribe utilization. The team used NVivo12 to assist with the qualitative analysis. Purposively selected participants included subject matter experts, providers, informaticians, medical scribes, medical assistants, administrators, social scientists, medical students, and qualitative researchers. The research team conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data where we reanalyzed data from interview transcripts, field notes, and transcribed group discussions generated by four previous projects related to medical scribes. The purpose of this paper was to identify how providers can optimize the effective and safe use of scribes. Given the lack of scribe industry standards and the wide variance in how providers and scribes work together, it could potentially create new patient safety-related risks. To alleviate this situation, the hiring of medical scribes has rapidly increased. The use of electronic health records has generated an increase in after-hours and weekend work for providers.
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