Study Confirms Benefits of Scribe Use Similar Pre and Post Covid-19
National Institute of Health (NIH) study entitled, Medical Scribe Impact on Provider Efficiency in Outpatient Radiation Oncology Clinics Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Medical documentation has become increasingly challenging for providers, particularly with time constraints and changes to office visit formats during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Medical scribes may help mitigate this burden. The objective of the survey was to determine how scribes affect provider workflow efficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic controls.
The conclusion of the study shows that scribe use decreases provider time spent on medical documentation and improves overall efficiency. This improvement in clinical efficiency was similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic for both in-person and telemedicine clinic visits. Integration of scribes into radiation oncology clinics may improve provider satisfaction by reducing the burden of documentation and may improve provider well-being.