John Dewey states, “education is not preparation for life, but rather, education is life itself.” Scrivas holds these values in true form by providing a robust three-day didactic training program to ensure all incoming scribes, regardless of prior educational background, are fully prepared to enter the healthcare workforce. The didactic program is one that Scrivas takes pride in, and understands that it is the true force behind what makes Scrivas one of the premier medical scribing companies in South Florida.  In the dynamic and complex landscape of healthcare, the role of medical scribes has become increasingly integral. These highly trained individuals assist healthcare providers in documenting patient encounters, assisting with clerical tasks in a variety of healthcare settings, and ensuring accurate and comprehensive medical records are developed in an efficient and timely manner. A didactic program for medical scribes is incredibly valuable, as most medical scribes are poised to use this role as an entrance point to the healthcare world; a world that requires sharp skills and an overwhelming amount of knowledge. This article explores the importance of structured education and training for individuals entering the healthcare field, specifically focusing on medical scribe training.

Medical Scribe Training: A Look into the Scrivas Didactic Training Program

Before we plunge into the didactic program, let us first understand the role of medical scribes. Medical scribes play a vital role in the healthcare system by mitigating physician burnout by reducing the burdens and added labor of documentation, which allows providers to focus on patient care and less on documentation and other clerical tasks. Additionally, medical scribes serve as an augmentation to the clinical process by providing general insight regarding the patient care status. Scribes are responsible for recording patient medical and social histories, physical examinations, orders, procedures, diagnoses, and other relevant information in real-time, all while simultaneously being able to siphon out the typical fillers of cordial conversation. The accuracy and efficiency of their work directly impact the quality and outcomes of patient care, the satisfaction and well-being of the providers, and the overall functioning of a healthcare facility. While on-the-job learning is valuable and often the area where most practical knowledge is developed, the importance of having a didactic training program cannot be overstated for medical scribe training. Think of a didactic training program as the on-the-job learning process before the actual on-the-job learning. A successful didactic program accurately captures the real-life scenarios that medical scribes will encounter. The complex and multi-faceted nature of healthcare documentation requires a strong understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, and basic chemistry and other general fields of science. Didactic training, which involves structured classroom instruction, often led by a medical professional as well as tenured medical scribes and billing personnel, is essential for medical scribes to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in their roles. One final note to highlight prior to the initialization of the didactic program is that medical scribes are also initially vetted through multiple interview and skill assessment processes to ensure they are prepared for a role in healthcare. Once prospective scribes are interviewed and prepped for the didactic course, the medical scribes are provided with in-depth training with the following courses: 

• Medical Terminology and Anatomy:

• Didactic training programs provide comprehensive education on medical terminology, enabling scribes to accurately interpret and transcribe physician dictations.

  • Understanding human anatomy is crucial for contextualizing medical information and ensuring precise documentation.

• HIPAA Compliance and Ethical Considerations:

  • Scribes must adhere to strict patient confidentiality standards outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Didactic training programs familiarize scribes with these regulations.

  • Ethical considerations, such as maintaining professionalism and respecting patient privacy, are emphasized during training.

• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Proficiency:

  • Scribes work extensively with electronic health records (EHRs), necessitating proficiency in EHR systems. Didactic training equips them with the skills to navigate and utilize these systems efficiently.

  • Understanding the functionalities of EHRs contributes to accurate and streamlined documentation processes.

• Medical Coding and Billing:

  • A solid foundation in medical coding and billing practices is crucial for medical scribes. Didactic training ensures that scribes understand the coding systems and billing procedures associated with medical documentation.

  • Accurate coding facilitates proper reimbursement and ensures financial viability for healthcare institutions.

• Communication Skills:

  • Effective communication between scribes and healthcare providers is paramount. Didactic training programs include communication skills development to enhance collaboration and understanding between team members.

  • Clear communication contributes to accurate documentation and a cohesive healthcare team.

In conclusion, the implementation of didactic training programs for medical scribes is essential for ensuring the quality, accuracy, and efficiency of healthcare documentation. Additionally, these preparatory programs also allow medical scribes to be successfully acclimated to the various scenarios and situations one will face in their respective areas of the healthcare workforce. These programs provide a structured educational building block that expands further than the coveted on-the-job training. Didactic programs aim to equip medical scribes with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their roles and allow medical scribes to attain a level of mastery prior to joining the workforce.

Let’s be honest, we've all been there; speaking up loudly and demanding to speak to a representative only to be followed with “Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.” Or having to profusely press “0” on the keypad until you’re transferred to the next representative (even more horrific enough, sometimes transferred to another automated system), or the classic Alexa and Siri obediently following a command making life as seamless as possible, only that you didn’t even utter a single word and are now desperately trying to fix a mess that didn’t need to be created by trying to turn the volume down on your sound system late into the evening.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and technology have been made to make the lives of everyone easier and more seamless as it becomes more integrated into our daily routine. AI has also become increasingly popular in the healthcare field as a means to augment the patient experience while also reducing the burden of the provider with a host of tasks. However, technology and automation with AI sometimes slow down our goals and it can be quite frustrating having to pick the pieces back up from something that should have made things easier, not more complicated.

When looking into seamless options for documentation support, roughly two options stand out over the rest: Medical scribe services or utilizing AI tools. When looking deeper into the benefits of utilizing medical scribes over artificial intelligence or automated services we can find the following:

The Human Touch

Medical scribes provide additional human interaction with the patients allowing for a more detailed and compassionate level of care. This measure can also be comforting to patients while also allowing for an added layer of communication between the patient and provider. With a more comforting and humanistic approach, healthcare organizations and providers can expect to see an increase in provider and patient satisfaction levels.

Adaptability

Medical scribes can adapt to a multitude of variances found in the healthcare setting. Medical scribes can quickly pivot from standard documentation services and provide added support from the clerical and operational perspective. These unexpected events would typically provide difficulties even for the most advanced AI systems.

EHR Support and Training

Medical scribes can provide real-time assistance and support with documentation training and EHR navigation, which could be difficult for some providers. AI and technology tend to be limited in the help options that are provided as they are already developed into the system, and cannot answer questions on the fly like a human can.

Outside of these reasons, the public’s perception of AI in healthcare also plays a prominent role in deciding whether to utilize medical scribe services or jump into the constantly changing world of AI. Most Americans are unconvinced that Al will improve health outcomes and decrease the level of work of providers in a significant way, based on a recent survey from the Pew Research Center. In fact, 60% of respondents said they would feel uneasy if their doctor relied on AI to diagnose ailments or recommend treatments, while 57% said they would worry that it would slowly erode the relationship between patients and healthcare providers.

Healthcare privacy is another mark of concern, with nearly 40% of respondents saying they worried more technology would put the security of their health records at risk.

There are numerous reasons to consider integrating documentation services in the healthcare field, but truly one real solution stands out above them all. Medical scribes provide a refreshing humanistic approach to the healthcare field that as of late, seems to be more focused on automated approaches to only further distance the provider from the patient.

The path to a healthcare-related career often requires a precursor, or some sort of experience to better prepare oneself for the exciting challenges to be faced. A career as a medical scribe provides a wealth of knowledge and intangible experiences worthy of anyone interested in stepping foot inside a hospital setting. Here are some amazing things that some former medical scribes who are now active in the healthcare field have to say about their time as a medical scribe:

Quote:

“Being a medical scribe was a very valuable experience for me during my path through medical school and residency into becoming a hospital medicine physician. Learning various medical terminology, how to obtain information from patients, and how to document both quickly and effectively on an EMR lessened the learning curve immensely. The high-intensity nature of the emergency department also made me comfortable in high-acuity settings as a physician.

I truly felt that I was as prepared as anyone could be during medical school rotations and then residency. Additionally, I found moments in my training where I didn’t go back to what I learned from my countless hours of studying textbooks, but rather the experiences that I had following an established physician in the ED. I can confidently attest that being a medical scribe early into my training provided me with a head start during my time as a medical student, resident, and now physician.”

- Dr. Jason Ghasemloian

Being a medical scribe also introduces you to opportunities that are not traditionally a clinic or patient-facing career. Manuel Marine, a medical scribe who initially pursued a path in medicine speaks about how scribing helped him in his role as a financial analyst for a major South Florida health system:

Quote:

“In my three transformative years at Scrivas, I embarked on a journey that would forever shape my career in healthcare. As a dedicated medical scribe, I immersed myself in the fast-paced world of medicine, learning to capture the essence of patient encounters with precision and detail. This invaluable experience not only honed my understanding of medical practices but also ignited my passion for the healthcare industry.

Little did I know that my time at Scrivas would serve as the catalyst for a remarkable pivot in my career path. Inspired by my exposure to healthcare operations, I ventured into the realm of healthcare finance. Armed with firsthand knowledge of clinical workflows and a deep appreciation for the critical role finance plays in delivering quality care, I found my calling.

Today, as a seasoned professional in healthcare finance, I owe my success to the solid foundation built during those formative years at Scrivas. The meticulousness, the dedication, and the unwavering commitment to the well-being of patients continue to guide me as I navigate the intricate financial landscape of healthcare. Scrivas was not just a stepping stone; it was the launch pad for my fulfilling and impactful career in healthcare finance."

• Manuel Marine, MBA

Scribing can prepare you for even the most challenging aspects of healthcare. More recently, we spoke with a medical scribe who became a travel nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the valuable medical knowledge attained, Ahmed Salim also speaks about the intrinsic benefits being a medical scribe provides, by developing into a youth mentor for his local community as well.

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“Working as a medical scribe with Scrivas was my first job right after high school. Needless to say, I was incredibly young and unprepared for what the emergency department had in store for me. Being a medical scribe quickly got me acclimated to understanding medical terminology, seeing patient-to-provider interactions firsthand, and of course, what it takes to be a provider. This experience also accustomed me to the stark realities individuals face when being brought into the ER, and although challenging at first, being surrounded by tenured physicians and nurses truly allowed me to develop as a person as well. I quickly became comfortable with being uncomfortable, which provided me with the desire to step in at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate care as a travel nurse. In addition to the value that Scrivas provided me with my medical career, working alongside mentors allowed me to also engage in becoming a mentor myself. There are numerous benefits that becoming a medical scribe provides, whether it’s from the general knowledge behind EMRs, medical sciences, or from the developmental side that builds on as a person. I could easily say that becoming a medical scribe was one of the best decisions I could make for myself from a career and personal level.”

Ahmed Salim, RN, BSN

Medical scribing can be a valuable opportunity for those interested in a career in healthcare. The role offers firsthand exposure to the healthcare setting, allows one to work closely with physicians and other providers, assists with a better understanding of medical terminology and documentation, and arguably above all, develops character that fits the criteria of being a top medical professional. Being a medical scribe is a wonderful stepping stone to other healthcare professions.

With the demand for physicians and mid-level healthcare providers increasing, but the amount of applicants and actual providers decreasing, the market for acquiring talent has been increasingly difficult for many organizations. To make matters worse, a study by McKinsey shows nearly half (48%) of people are leaving their current jobs and moving to an entirely new industry. Worldwide, only 35% who quit in the last two years took on a new role in the same sector. With this large amount of turnover, partially due to burnout from COVID-19, and lowered prospective providers, talent acquisition teams throughout all healthcare organizations have been working harder and becoming more creative with reeling in talent.

There are numerous creative pitches being thrown at healthcare providers, with some organizations providing simple perks that may move the needle slightly forward. One perk, however, has not only been a special leverage mechanism for recruiters but also a perk that’s often sought out by prospective employees. Imagine hearing the following creative pitch, which essentially asks a prospective employee to decide whether they would be interested in the following scenario: “How would you like to come to work and leave on time? How would you like to have all the aspects of your job that you dislike taken care of for you, and allowing you to focus solely on treating patients and making sure they’re being given all of your attention? Finally, how would you feel to have all your documents delivered in a timely and accurate fashion, so you don’t have to stay late trying to remember all your patient encounters?” With a pitch like that, it’s almost difficult to say no. Many recruiters are now turning to the acquisition of medical scribes in their healthcare organization to not only assist with the overall efficacy of the organization, but to also draw in talent from across the world.

Healthcare recruiters are going deep into their bag of tricks and are utilizing medical scribes as an incentive or selling point when negotiating and attracting prospective employees. Listing the numerous benefits that medical scribes provide can greatly outline the company's culture of treating their physicians with additional support as well as adhering to higher documentation and EHR standards. Additionally, as a long-term investment with medical scribes, healthcare recruiters have the opportunity to reach out to medical scribes who have eventually gone into medical school and finished residency and wish to return to the same system they’ve spent their early years working in.

Medical scribes provide a unique benefit when recruiting physicians and healthcare providers by alleviating many of the clerical burdens they face. The same burdens, as reported by the American Medical Association, include documentation, updating billing and coding references, updating labs and results, and sending out calls for consultations. Medical scribes are a perfect pitch for any healthcare recruiter attempting to add value to their workforce. Offering medical scribe services plays a pivotal role in incentivizing potential candidates for any healthcare system looking to stand out in a competitive recruitment environment and in some cases, can potentially even develop talent acquisition opportunities in-house.