The Intrusion of Scribes
To handle expanded data-entry duties related to the electronic health record (EHR) mandate, restore eye contact and physical touch, and decrease the EHRs drag on physician productivity, clinics and emergency rooms are increasingly hiring team members called scribes.
Medical scribes have been called a “possible solution to the imposition of EMRs whose benefit to the patient and practice are frequently unclear or negative to begin with.”
Things to Know
Assumed Consent – You may not be asked or informed about the use of medical scribes.
Who’s Listening – Types of scribes include: Scribes In the Room, Virtual or A.I. Scribes, and Scribes Outside the Room.
Privacy Breach – Unbeknownst to patients, some practices may use microphones to transmit audio to scribes outside the exam room.
YOU CAN ask for the scribe to leave the room or tell your provider you do not want a scribe.
