Some CentraCare Providers Using Scribes to Assist with Documentation

St. Cloud, Minn. – It is no secret that health care organizations big and small are facing numerous changes and challenges, many of which directly impact the patient. From increased patient volume to complex and burdensome paperwork, doctors are spending less time with the patient and more time on administrative work.

CentraCare recognizes the concern and frustration this causes for patients and doctors alike. As a result, nine physicians have undertaken a unique and innovative approach to improving the quality of patient care by using medical scribes.

A medical scribe is a highly-trained individual who specializes in documenting patient visits. A typical scribe has previous higher-education and a desire to pursue a career in the health care field. His or her primary duty is to shadow a doctor throughout the workday, noting patient encounters in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). In essence, the pertinent information a doctor typically records during and after the visit is instead captured by the medical scribe, allowing the doctor to focus on the patient while in the room. All documentation is still reviewed by the doctor, ensuring complete accuracy of the records.

CentraCare has partnered with Elite Medical Scribes based in Bloomington, Minn. Elite provides scribe services to leading health care systems across the nation and specializes in training and compliance as well as patient and provider engagement.