Medical Scribes as an Input in Healthcare Production: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

Medical scribes are charting specialists who prepare patient charts in the physician’s stead, creating efficiency gains in production via specialization of labor. The scribe industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but relatively little is known about its impact on health-care production. I use data from a randomized experiment in which scribes were assigned to some, but not all, physician shifts in three emergency rooms over nine months.

Generally, I find that scribes significantly decrease physician overtime usage, increase the number of relative value units per shift, and decrease patient wait times. The size of the benefits of scribes varies considerably based on the types of shifts worked and characteristics of the
physician matched with the scribe.

…READ THE FULL CASE STUDY

Care Navigators

As healthcare business models evolve, so should care teams.

Patients who are paired with Care Navigators report feeling less anxiety, and an increased ability to self-manage their conditions between visits. And providers report increased job satisfaction from improved efficiency, and knowing their patients have access to care teams, and strategic support.

Chronic Care Management

With an increased aging population managing two or more chronic illnesses, extending your care teams’ ability to communicate with patients is critical. We take a strategic approach to helping patients chart a path towards their health goals, while self-managing their chronic conditions between clinical visits.

AI Chatbots

We deliver a robust AI Chatbot solution to help manage and sustain effective communication with patients. Care teams implement the conversational text messages and customize patient communication to deliver high quality care.

Revenue Cycle Management

Transition Revenue Cycle Management into the modern age with a suite of software tools that will transform your billing and coding processes. Transact at lightning speed, with increased transparency and decreased siloes. The QueueLogix software application seamlessly integrates with existing EMRs to ensure the clinical activities and back-office operations are well aligned, monitored and successful.

Referral Management

Referrals scheduled by navigators in the clinical setting builds long term, patient care integrity across the care continuum. With the authority, along with the provider to search for specialists in network, navigators asses their schedules, and ensure appointment compliance.

Scribe Services

There’s a reason why we’re the nation’s most frequently used scribe company: we offer professionally trained medical scribes to meet the specific needs of our clients. We offer emergency medicine, outpatient, hospitalist medicine and other scribe programs, as well as technology and personnel solutions that address revenue cycle management, the transition to value-based care, and more through our HealthChannels family of companies.