The Benefits of Scribes for Your Practice – Review of Ophthalmology

With some practice and a few EMR considerations, scribes can help increase both productivity and workflow.

This article answers the following questions:

• What is a scribe and why would a practice utilize one?
• Can scribes improve productivity?
• Are there restrictions on what a scribe can record?
• Do Medicare Administrative Contractors provide any guidance or policies for the use of scribes?
• If the MAC does not provide any specific guidance, is it necessary for the physician to document that a scribe entered the data into the medical record?
• Are there other considerations for scribes when the practice utilizes EMR?
• Do scribes require certification or other special training?
• For the purpose of achieving meaningful use with electronic health records, are there any limitations associated with the use of a scribe?
• Will the rules for Stage 2 meaningful use allow the scribe to use CPOE for medication orders?
• Are there specific types of certification that qualify the scribe to enter CPOE orders?

This article was published in Review of Ophthalmology’s Medicare Q & A column, which is written by Corcoran’s Vice-President, Donna McCune, CCS-P, COE, CPMA. To view the entire article in Review of Ophthalmology, click on the link below:

http://bt.e-ditionsbyfry.com/publication/?i=237643

See page 12.