How To Decide If a Remote Medical Scribe is Right For Your Practice

Medical scribes are in high demand due to the overwhelming administrative tasks of doctors and other healthcare professionals. Doctors handle various tasks, from diagnosing and treating patients to managing their practice.

Scribes can relieve some of the pressure on doctors, giving them more time to concentrate on giving their patients the best possible treatment. However, with the rise of remote medical scribe jobs, many offices wonder if this is the right move for them.

Historically, doctors would only think of employing an office assistant with a secondary degree to help lighten the strain on you and your staff. This is a great idea – if you know someone you can trust who fits your requirements for handling your office documentation. It will even be beneficial if that person is interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare industry, as that would give you a common goal to work with.

At the end of the day, is it the best option for your practice? Can you hire an office assistant to benefit your long-term interest more than a remote scribe?

Ever wonder how to maximize your practice?

The use of a remote medical scribe in your office has both benefits and drawbacks, which will be discussed in this article. So, how do you decide if remote medical scribes suit your practice?

What is a remote medical scribe, and what do they do?

A remote medical scribe is a healthcare professional who provides administrative support to a physician or other healthcare professional from another place aside from the offices or hospitals where these physicians or other healthcare professionals are located.

Remote scribe at work

Remote scribes can take care of nearly all of the administrative tasks in your office for a fraction of the cost. This includes answering your phone lines, scheduling and confirming appointments, insurance verification and prior authorization, billing, submitting and receiving health records, updating your electronic health records system, and scribing. Your in-house team members simply delegate tasks to your virtual medical assistants, taking the pressure off you and your in-office staff.

Advantages in the medical or healthcare field

Cost

There are several medical or dental benefits to any practice using remote scribes in the medical field. You can save money on employment expenses, which is perhaps the most obvious advantage.

Remote scribe jobs can be sourced all over the world

If you have a virtual medical scribe firm that can deliver high-quality work, you won't have to hire and train another in-house staff. They can handle the training you want for your scribe, such as generating comprehensive medical records; your staffing company can also handle completing any document you need for your off.

Scribes cannot alter clinicians' notes and procedures in any way. They can only create written and digital forms of everything the provider says and does during any patient visit. A virtual medical scribe can also take detailed medical notes based on the specifications of you or your medical assistant, enabling them to produce high-quality medical documentation preferred by your practice.

Most new scribes are graduates from nursing school or other fields in the medical industry familiar with medical terminology. They are hired to meet established standards for seamless integration into various medical fields preferred by clients.

Remote scribes don't take up office space

Office space can be hefty, especially renting out from a big city area. A virtual medical scribe can work from home, so you do not have to worry about renting a more prominent place to accommodate your growing staff.

You also do not have to worry about overtime pay and benefits if you need your virtual staff to extend their hours, mainly when reports must be submitted on time. Providers are required to follow applicable labor regulations while dealing with their employees, which vary from state to state. With a virtual staff, the virtual scribe firm handles these employee costs for you.

Optimal patient visit

Another benefit is that your office personnel will have more time to devote to important duties like providing your patients with the best possible care as opposed to being overburdened with phone calls and answering machines. Of course, your administrative work is essential to keep your office running daily, but these can be handled remotely so your staff can delegate them.

In-house staff can deliver better patient care

Your medical assistant will be able to perform more productively and generate high-quality work as an actual physician assistant by giving some of the administrative responsibilities to a medical scribe rather than stressing about mountains of medical documentation. The burden of paperwork can often distract physician assistants from delivering quality care.

Stress and anxiety hold your staff back from their full potential to assist you and your clients in the clinic. When your staff has to run back and forth from their desk to your client every now and then, they will quickly get tired and eventually slow down, which means less attention to your client's needs. A well-rested staff is more efficient and productive as they are not bogged down by stress. On the other hand, a stressed staff is more likely to make mistakes and may be less productive.

Your staff will have more time to educate clients on their diet and health plans without worrying about other people calling to schedule an appointment or ask for prescription refills. People naturally want to be taken care of when they are not feeling well, even if it means just listening to their concerns about their symptoms or reactions to certain medications. Your office staff does not typically have the luxury of time to do this but having virtual scribes would enable them to have that moment to hear them out.

Having virtual scribes enables you to hire more health assistants to care for your clients rather than spending their time behind a desk in your office. When patients are satisfied with the level of care they receive at your facility, they are more likely to continue using your services and even recommend you to family and friends, which will result in more revenue for your clinic.

Familiarity with medical terminology

A remote medical scribe can handle comprehensive medical records through a dedicated computer, while your medical assistant can lend a hand in the physical exam or anything that you or the patient needs in an exam room. Since a remote medical scribe is familiar with medical terminology, both physician and patient are confident that someone is ensuring the successful completion of any document needed during every procedure or patient visit.

Remote scribes enable robust patient and physician satisfaction.

Familiarity with electronic health records is another advantage that virtual medical scribes have. In fact, this might be one of the most essential skills that a would-be scribe can have because the world of healthcare is becoming increasingly digitized. In order to guarantee that the provider has all the information required to offer the clients proper treatment, a skilled scribe should be able to continuously fill and update the EHRs.

The relevant healthcare background of a scribe gives them an edge over a regular office assistant because of their familiarity with the terminology used in the field of medicine and in handling comprehensive health records. A remote scribe can be more productive in updating electronic health records and assisting physicians with patient visits. This is because the scribe has the knowledge and experience to anticipate specific procedures and protocols for more straightforward documentation.

Optimize doctor time

Remote medical scribe jobs also offer flexibility to work around your schedule. They can work evenings and weekends if necessary without you worrying about overtime pay. This way, you can attend important family events and healthcare conferences without skipping a beat in running your private practice.

For every healthcare professional, finding a work-life balance is essential. When you can have time for both, it enables you to be more refreshed and focused when working. This is especially important in medicine, where you must constantly be sharp and on your toes. Doing this while under constant stress from long hours of work might be difficult.

A work-life balance also enables you to spend time with your loved ones. They can provide emotional support during difficult times and remind you of what is essential in life outside of work. Family time can also be an excellent opportunity to talk about health concerns and get their perspective on how to deal with them.

Creating a work-life balance takes effort, but it is definitely worth it in the long run. When you can achieve this, you will find that your private practice runs more smoothly and that your patients are happier with the level of care that they are receiving.

Remote scribes can be on call.

Scribes can also scale their hours up or down depending on your needs. This provides scalability that in-office scribes cannot and enables you to hire more or fewer scribes depending on the demands of your practice. Virtual scribes can quickly scale up or down your scribing services as needed. This is perfect for practices that are growing or have fluctuating needs. In contrast, in-office scribes require more commitment and can be less flexible. This is why remote scribes c be a caption than hiring in-office scribes.

Disadvantages

Control

When determining whether to use remote medical scribes in your office, there are a few drawbacks as well. Having less control over them than you would with in-office scribes is one of the biggest disadvantages. If you need to closely supervise them or have certain demands for your scribes, this could be an issue.

Remote scribes cannot attend to patients the way the in-house staff does

Since they work remotely, you need a reputable virtual scribe provider that ensures the quality of work your virtual scribes produce. Otherwise, you would have to review everything at the end of the day, which would be counterproductive for what you hired them for.

Specific Protocols

Another downside is that remote scribes may not be familiar with your office's specific procedures and protocols. On the other hand, in-office scribes are more likely to be familiar with your office's systems and procedures. The fact that you won't have as much control over them as you would with in-office scribes is one of the main drawbacks.

Remote scribes cannot know your routine quickly the way your in-house staff does

This is another reason a quality virtual scribe firm is essential training and orientation are vital in integrating scribes into your practice. You need to have virtual assistants who are familiar with your field of specialty and your office protocols and procedures before taking on any administrative task.

Security

Finally, there is always the risk that remote scribes could mishandle sensitive patient information. While this is a risk with any employee, it's essential to be aware of this potential risk before deciding to use remote scribes in your office.

In-house staff can be quickly confronted at the first sign of a security breach.

An excellent virtual scribe firm would give you peace of mind as they would have systems and protocols to prevent security breaches. They would also be proactive about hiring virtual assistants, so their vetting process would be as thorough and rigorous as possible.

How to decide if virtual medical scribes are suitable for your practice?

The specific needs and conditions of your practice will determine the answer to this question. Your budget is a further significant consideration. Before hiring virtual assistants, it would be a good idea to consult with your staff because it will affect both you and them.

Virtual scribes might be a suitable alternative if you're searching for a means to reduce employment costs or require more flexibility in your scribing services. Virtual scribes can provide you with a number of advantages, which explains why there is such a great demand for them nowadays.

However, if you're concerned about losing control over the scribes or can't find a good virtual scribe firm, you may want to consider other options. It is important to remember that you aim to hire good help for you and your staff so you can do what you were meant to do, which is to care for sick people. No matter if you are employing internal or remote employees, always keep this in mind.

Sign up for feedback from your colleagues who are using remote scribes for better info

There are ways to address the disadvantages listed above, and the best way to do so is by finding the best virtual scribe firm that fits your needs. No matter what you decide, be sure to weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a decision. Virtual medical scribes can be an excellent option for many practices, but they may not be suitable for everyone. If you decide virtual scribes are right for you, carefully select a reputable provider who can meet your specific needs.

Healthy competition

Consumers always benefit from competition, especially when it comes to something as crucial as their health. This holds true for electronic scribes as well.

An excellent virtual scribe firm will have healthy competition among its employees. This is because they know they need to be at their best to win the favor of their clients - and keep them. You can expect quality work from these firms tailored to your specific needs.

In addition, competition among virtual scribes means you can expect lower prices for their services. This is because firms would be vying for your business and want to undercut their competitors to get it. So, if the price is a concern for you, you should look into hiring from a virtual scribe firm with good competition among its ranks.

Portiva is a leading virtual scribe provider that helps doctors and other healthcare professionals manage their administrative tasks remotely. With Portiva, you can be assured that your virtual scribes are well-trained and familiar with your office's specific procedures and protocols. In addition, Portiva offers a secure platform for handling sensitive patient information.

If you're looking for a way to save on staffing coif you need more flexibility in your scribing services, then Portiva may be suitable. Connect with us today to see how Portiva can help you streamline your administrative tasks.