

There are opportunities for advancement within this profession with some medical scribes becoming project managers, regional managers, and the like, and the medical scribe salary typically increases with increasing responsibility, with some scribes making as much as $75,000. Scribes are employed across the United States and some agencies have openings in multiple states. Scribes employed by agencies generally work at one hospital or work site though this may vary. This should not come as a surprise considering the hectic nature of work in the healthcare industry.

Scribes may be required to wear a uniform and may be expected to work non-standard hours. Medical scribes are frequently employed in doctors' offices, especially in the primary care setting where a high volume of patients is not uncommonly found. Not surprisingly, the medical scribe is frequently found in the hospital setting though they can realistically work anywhere that physicians can be found. In terms of the day-to-day work of the scribe, they perform the duties detailed above often under the supervision of other professionals than the physician, such as a nurse manager. In reality, the work of the medical scribe is varied and may expand in the future. The skill set required for this position does give an idea of the sorts of duties these workers perform. Though some medical scribes would like to earn more considering the important role they play in assisting physicians, as this role only requires a high school diploma the medical scribe salary can be described as reasonable. The work of the medical scribe is important workers in this field report a high level of job satisfaction. This data is read by physicians, nurses, technicians, and other healthcare providers. In hospital emergency rooms and other healthcare settings, the scribe can often be found entering data into the computer or other records. In reality, though the profession of the scribe may be ancient, the work of the medical scribe has a modern aspect. Other skills or abilities can be beneficial to the job, like experience with medical coding, though skills like these can be acquired later or on the job. What follows are skills and abilities that will lead to a successful career as a medical scribe. Many of these are personality traits that will help the future worker succeed in their role and provide as much assistance to healthcare providers as they can. Naturally, medical scribes are not involved in direct patient care as this task remains the preserve of physicians and nurses.Įducation requirements for this position will be thoroughly detailed in the following section, but there are certain important qualifications for men and women considering a career in this field. Holistically, the medical scribe’s role is to help facilitate the workflow of the provider, and transcribing documents is only one part of that role. Indeed, the work of the scribe seems to exceed merely the record-keeping role that some may associate with the job title.

It may surprise some just how much the medical scribe performs in his or her service to the physician and other healthcare providers. In this regard, the work of the medical scribe bears some similarity to other skilled positions that involve providing assistance to healthcare providers like physician assistants, radiological technicians, and the like. The medical scribe may also be called upon monitor patient tests or radiologic reports, which is why this role is often described as a physician collaborator.Īs the healthcare industry becomes more complex and physicians and nurses are required to take on new duties, acquire new knowledge, or collaborate with other advanced professionals, it is not surprising that roles in physician support have become more significant. Medical scribes perform secretarial functions for physicians, which includes medical data entry into paper charts, electronic records, forms, or other records and documents. Naturally, a medical scribe is not going to be exactly the same as a scribe that served the pharaohs of the Nile 4000 years ago, although there are some important similarities.
