

Graves).Īn estimated 100,000 medical scribes are currently employed in the United States, with certifications available and recruitment companies in operation. “Within four months, we were able to demonstrate improved efficiency of patients seen by physicians, not to mention a complete offloading of their administrative tasks that were contributing to the burnout they were experiencing on shift,” said Stephen Graves, also a co-founder of Medical Scribes of Canada (and son of Dr. Medical Scribes of Canada’s pilot project in 2015 concluded that almost 82 per cent of physicians using a scribe saw approximately 13 per cent more patients per hour. A 2017 Annals of Family Medicine study showed that using scribes improved physician satisfaction, including increasing time spent with patients, reducing time spent charting and improving charting accuracy.

Both reports recommend using medical scribes to improve efficiencies and reduce burnout.Įvidence suggests that scribes can do just this. The number one solution recommended in the OMA’s Burnout Task Force report was to assess documentation and administrative requirements, evaluating burden, complexity, redundancy and value to patient care. A 2022 PubMed study showed that the hours spent on EMR documentation resulted in lost autonomy and work-life balance while contributing to cognitive fatigue. This administrative/clerical burden is a common complaint amongst physicians. Ahluwalia was experiencing an overwhelming paperwork burden in her rheumatology practice. Vandana Ahluwalia (right), past chief of rheumatology at William Osler Health System and past president of the Ontario and Canadian Rheumatology Associations, hired Dilnoor Sidhu to work as her medical scribe three years ago. The Ontario Medical Association’s 2021 Burnout Task Force report referenced a 2020 survey of Nova Scotia physicians that found that doctors there spent 10.6 hours a week on administrative work.ĭr. emergency departments in the 1970s – is on the rise as electronic medical records contribute to clerical and administrative workloads. The use of scribes – who first appeared in U.S. Graves added that Medical Scribes of Canada have been focusing on emergency departments more than outpatient clinics though they have had some limited experience in the past outside of the emergency department. “A scribe cannot have any direct patient contact.” Dr. Peter Graves, an emergency physician at Ottawa’s Queensway Carleton Hospital and co-founder of Medical Scribes of Canada, a company that runs medical scribe programs in emergency departments and in inpatient and outpatient wards. “Ultimately, the physician is responsible for everything that is written down,” said Dr. Notes are reviewed by the physician for relevancy and accuracy. Ahluwalia’s, assume tasks such as real-time transcription of doctor-patient interactions, recording patient history and updates, exam results or follow-up appointment details. “He’s been with me for three years and it’s been a fantastic relationship,” she said. Ahluwalia had hired a master’s of cell and stem biology graduate, who was looking for rewarding work.

The search was on and within a few weeks, Dr. “I said something has to change…when my friend asked, ‘What do you need?’ I told her ‘I think I need a scribe’.” “I was getting to the point where things were becoming overwhelming,” she explained. Alhuwalia, past chief of rheumatology at William Osler Health System and past president of the Ontario and Canadian Rheumatology Associations, it came down to freeing herself from paperwork, which was taking a toll on her well-being.

Medical scribe companies how to#
The idea arose while brainstorming with a friend on how to improve her practice. Vandana Ahluwalia hired a medical scribe to assist in her rheumatology clinic, it was to claim back a piece of her life.
